Mission
Founded in 1993, the European Federation for Primatology (EFP) brings together national primatological societies as well as groups of primatologists in those countries of Europe where societies could not yet be founded.
Our mission is
-
to coordinate actions related to primatology between the different European societies including the circulation of information between the different national societies and groups in Europe.
-
Folia Primatologica, published by Karger S.A., Basel, is the official publication of the Federation.
-
meetings of the national societies, specialist groups and workshops, scientific activities, research and educational projects related to primatology.
-
to promote national management of captive primates and to make studies on primates available to a maximum of students and researchers.
-
to act as an official "group of interest" to be consulted by the European Commission on matters related to the norms regulating the use of NHP in laboratory research
Aims
The aims of all affiliated societies or groups are to encourage all areas of non-human primatological scientific research, to facilitate cooperation among scientists of all nationalities engaged in primate research, and to promote the conservation of all primate species. Protection of captive primates is one of the most important aims of the EFP, practically this means the improvement of the well-being of primates.
Therefore the EFP intends to promote the dialogue with all people involved in primatology and to promote studies providing scientific evidence on primate welfare issues.
The EFP will strive to promote the implementation of the "International Primatological Society Guidelines for the acquisition, care, and breeding of non-human primates".
The EFP endorses the IPS policies and guidelines on work with captive and wild primates (http://www.internationalprimatologicalsociety.org/policy.cfm).
The EFP considers its independence from private interests as necessary for its scientific expertise. Consequently, the EFP will not sponsor any activities related to private commercial interests.
However, the EFP provides the scientific experience for all people and organizations interested whenever non-human primates are affected.
Currently, 9 European countries are affiliated with the EFP: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
The EFP connects people involved in non-human primate conservation, education, research in-situ and ex-situ, and zoo management. This accounts for more than 1100 scientists, students, and zoo managers.
More than 30 academic institutions are represented in the EFP through membership
Publications: Newsletter in Folia Primatologica
EFP Board
-
President: Prof Marie Charpentier: marie.charpentier@umontpellier.fr
-
Secretary: Prof Augusto Vitale: vitale@iss.it
-
Treasurer: Prof Simone Pika: spika@uos.de
-
Communications Officer: Victoria Gehrke victoria.gehrke89@gmail.com
Prof Marie Charpentier
About taking over the role as EFP president:
It is truly an honor to have been appointed as the President of the EFP, particularly
because I humbly follow in the footsteps of renowned and dedicated primatologists
who have greatly contributed to advancing the recognition of our society for over
three decades. Our efforts have been pivotal in establishing the EFP as a central
hub for primatological scientific research in Europe, fostering collaborations across
national societies, and providing essential guidelines for the ethical use of primates in research.
For nearly 25 years, I have dedicated myself to the study of primates, primarily in Africa, where many species are endangered. My academic journey began in evolutionary biology, and early in my career, I delved into the captivating world of mandrills, exploring the evolution of sociality within this species.
In 2012, I initiated and have since managed a long-term field project in Southern Gabon, based at the Lékédi Park, to study a large natural population of mandrills. Our research group has grown to encompass approximately 350 individuals, and our project has forged strong collaborations with institutions both locally and internationally, particularly with Gabonese organizations such as CIRMF, Fondation Lékédi Biodiversité, and CENAREST. Furthermore, we have been actively engaged in training Gabonese field assistants, laboratory technicians, as well as mentoring master's and doctoral students. Outreach activities have also been a cornerstone of our endeavors.
I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to host the upcoming EFP conference in Montpellier in 2026, where we can continue to foster collaborations, exchange ideas, and further advance the field of primatology.
Prof August Vitale
Prof Simone Pika
Augusto Vitale holds a PhD in Behavioural Ecology from the University of Aberdeen (Scotland). He is a researcher in animal behaviour and animal welfare at the Center for Behavioural Studies and Mental Health at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome. He has been President of the Italian Association of Primatology. He collaborates with the EU Commission on the use of NHP in laboratory research. He evaluates projects involving the use of animal models (in particular NHP) on behalf of the Italian Ministry of Health. He has authored several publications and book chapters on ethology and ethics of research.
Simone is the head of the Comparative BioCognition research group at the Institute of Cognitive Science, Osnabrück University in Germany. She received the prestigious Sofja-Kovalevskaja award of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (https://www.humboldt-foundation.de/) and an EU-Consolidator Grant from the European Research Council (ERC). Her work centers on the evolution and development of communication and cognition by combining observational, experimental and machine learning methods with a special focus on closely related species (human and non-human great apes), and species living in comparable complex social settings (great apes, corvids, dolphins).
