Since 2007, a variety of projects by students of the University of Zürich (CH), Universitas Nasional (IDN), Institut Pertanian Bogor (IDN), the University of Birmingham (UK) and the University of Utrecht (NE) have been conducted at Suaq.

2021

Fröhlich 2021

Multimodal communication in orangutans: redundancy versus complementarity
Project leader: Dr. Marlen Fröhlich (Postdoctoral researcher, AIM University of Zürich, CH)
Project staff:

This projects aims to investigate the function and ontogeny of multimodal communication in wild and captive orangutans.

2020

Kunz, B. 2020

Begging for and sharing information - Orangtan infant begging behavior and maternal response in feeding skill acquisition
Project leader: Belinda Kunz, MSc Student, Univeristy of Zürich, Switzerland
Project staff:

Kunz, J. 2020

Male-female relationships - from friendship to coercion
Project leader: Julia Kunz (PhD student, AIM University of Zürich)
Project staff:

Sofia Vilela (Volunteer)

2019

Reukauf 2019

Male affiliative relationships in Sumatran orang-utans – Why do unflanged males form temporary associations?
Project leader: Joshua Reukauf, MSc Student, University of Zürich
Project staff:

Al-Kautasar 2019

Feeding behavior and food species in male Sumatran oarangutans (Pongo abelii)
Project leader: Muhammad Ridho Al-Kautasar, BSc Student, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Indonesia
Project staff:

Musdarlia 2019

Feeding behavior and food species in Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii)
Project leader: Helvi Musdarlia MSc Student, Universitas Nasional, Indonesia
Project staff:

Muhammad Ridho Al-Kautasar, BSc Student, Universitas Syiha Kuala, Indonesia

Wassmer 2019

How to be the new guy? Strategies of unflanged Sumatran orangutans to cope with their new environment after dispersal
Project leader: Olivia Wassmer, MSc Student, Univeristy of Zürich, Switzerland
Project staff:

Ehmann 2019

The development of social interest in Sumatran orang-utans over age & sex
Project leader: Beatrice Ehmann, MSc Student, Univeristy of Zürich, Switzerland
Project staff:

2018

Hayward 2018

Long calls of flanged male orangutans (Pongo spp.) reveal geographic variation in competition behaviour
Project leader: Steven Hayward (MSc Student, AIM, University of Zürich, CH)
Project staff:

2017

van Cauwenberghe 2017

Factors influencing the cognitive development of infant Sumatran orangutans in Suaq Balimbing, Aceh Selatan, Indonesia
Project leader: Anais van Cauwenberghe (MSc Thesis, Utrech University, NE & AIM, Univeristy of Zürich, CH)
Project staff:

2016

Schuppli 2016

Testing the cultural intelligence hypothesis in wild orangutans
Project leader: Caroline Schuppli (PhD student, AIM, University of Zürich, CH)
Project staff:

Paula Willi, Benjamin Nolan, Maximilian Kölbl, Kevin Lee, Eric Balke

2014

Lenzi 2014

Reproductive success and paternity concentration in wild male orangutans (genus Pongo)
Project leader: Ivan Lenzi (MSc Student, AIM, University of Zürich, CH)
Project staff:

Kunz 2014

Ontogeny and variability of play behaviour in wild immature Bornean (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) and Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii)
Project leader: Julia Kunz (MSc Student, AIM, University of Zürich, CH)
Project staff:

Conradie 2014

Long call playback experiments on female Sumatran orang-utans
Project leader: Christiaan Conradie (MSc Student, AIM, University of Zürich, CH)
Project staff:

Thesis download

Falkner 2014

Mother-Offspring Conflict in Orangutans: Disentangling different contexts of mother-offspring conflict in Sumatran and Bornean orangutans
Project leader: Sonja Falkner (MSc Student, AIM, University of Zürich, CH)
Project staff:

2011

Villioth 2011

Nesting positions and chemical properties of nesting material in relation to mosquito avoidance in Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii)
Project leader: Jakob Villioth (MSc Student, AIM, University of Zürich, CH)
Project staff:

Schuppli 2011

Skill learning in wild immature Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii)
Project leader: Caroline Schuppli (MSc Student, AIM, University of Zürich, CH)
Project staff:

Manduell 2011

Habitat variation and its influence on the locomotor ecology of wild orangutans
Project leader: Kirsten Manduell (PhD Student, University of Birmingham, UK)
Project staff:

Thesis download

Rinsma 2011

Orangutans speaking for themselves: A closer inspection on variation in the acoustic repertoire of wild Sumatran orangutan
Project leader: Wiebe Rinsma (MSc Student, University of Utrecht, NE)
Project staff:

Thesis download

2009

Meulman 2009

Wild orangutan tool use: New Insights in Human Evolution
Project leader: Ellen Meulman (PhD Student, AIM, University of Zürich, CH)
Project staff:

Haryati 2009

Perbandingan analisis habitat dan preferensi pakan buah di hutan rawa Stasiun Penelitian Suaq Balimbing, TNGL
Project leader: Sri Haryati (PhD Student, Univeritas Nasional, IDN & University of Zürich, CH)
Project staff:

Thesis download

Gibson 2009

Cognitive and cultural aspects of nest building in wild orangutans
Project leader: Andrea Gibson (PhD Student, AIM, University of Zürich, CH)
Project staff:

Thesis download

2008

Forss 2008

Social learning and independent exploration in immature Sumatran Orangutans (Pongo abelii)
Project leader: Sofia Forss (MSc Student, AIM, University of Zürich, CH)
Project staff:

Nater 2008

Phylogeography and population structure of the Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii)
Project leader: Alexander Nater (PhD Student, AIM, University of Zürich, CH)
Project staff:

Thesis download