Dr. Zoë Goldsborough

I am a behavioral ecologist, studying animals to better understand their experiences of the world and contribute positively to their conservation and welfare. 

One of my current research focuses is how socially learned behaviour – culture – can shape animals’ lives, interactions, and environments. I was awarded a Minerva Fast Track Fellowship by the Max Planck Society to start my own research group on culture and social behavior.

In my work, I combine observational methods like camera traps with Bayesian statistical modeling and occasional field experiments. For my PhD, I investigated the only known population of stone-tool-using white-faced capuchin monkeys to better understand what drives the development of tool use. Other topics I work on (mostly in primates) are individual differences, communication, and animals’ responses to death. ​