I believe that we cannot understand the behaviour of an organism without studying it in the light of other organisms with which it shares its environment, with similar organisms in other environments, and its evolutionary history.
Only through such a broad approach can we truly understand its place in nature, and make critical assessments regarding conservation policies. My current research focuses on the microhabitat use of nocturnal mammal communities, and implications for their conservation at a long-term field site that I have established in the southwestern rainforests of Sri Lanka.

Education:

• University of Missouri, Columbia B.A. with honors in Anthropology December 1993´
• Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg Certificat de Primatologie Européen March 1994
• Washington University, St. Louis M.A. in Biological Anthropology May 1997
• Washington University, St. Louis D.Phil. in Biological Anthropology May 2000

Current Academic Position:

• Oxford Brookes University
  Senior Lecturer in anthropology, course leader for M.Sc. in Primate Conservation
• Oxford University
  Part-time Lecturer in Human Evolution and Animal Behaviour (Departments of Archaeology and Anthropology, and Human Sciences); Human Sciences tutor for St. John’s, New, Summerville, Keble, St. Hugh’s, St. Catherine’s, St. Hilda’s and Mansfield Colleges

Professional Affiliations:

• American Association of Physical Anthropologists
• International Primate Society
• Primate Society of Great Britain (member of Conservation Working Party)
• American Society of Primatologists
• Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka
• Sigma Xi
• Nocturnal Primate Research Group
• Bat Conservation International
• International Primate Protection League
• Mammal Society of Great Britain

Teaching Experience:

• Invitation to Anthropology (4 field approach) (OBU)
• Introduction to Biological Anthropology (SIUC, OBU)
• History of Biological Anthropology (OBU)
• Animal Behaviour (OU)
• Introductory Primatology (SIUC, OU)
• Advanced Primate Ecology (WU, SIUC, OBU)
• Postgrad Level: Primate Distribution and Ecology (OBU)
• Postgrad Level: Methods in Primate Conservation, including statistics (OBU)
• Primatological Methods: Behavioural Research at the St. Louis Zoo
• Primate Biology (Including Anatomy and Skeletal Biology) (WU, OBU)
• Introductory Human Evolution (OBU, SIU)
• Biological Basis of Human Behaviour (writing intensive) (SIUC, WU)
• Postgraduate Seminar in Primate Behaviour and Evolution: Past and Present Primate
  Communities (SIUC)
• The Fossil Evidence for Human and Primate Evolution (advanced) (SIUC, OBU, OU)
• Human Biological Variation (OBU)
• Primate Origins and Evolution (WU)

Research and Field Experience:

• Summer 2003. Sri Lanka. Ongoing study and microhabitat survey of the mammals of the Bangamukande Estate, Pitigala, and survey of the primates of Mannar.
• December 2002. spent 40 days in Sri Lanka advising a film on two species of slender lorises in Madura Oya National Park, Trincomalee, Masmullah Proposed Forest Reserve and Pitigala Private Estate
• Summer 2002. Sri Lanka. Ongoing study of the slender loris L. t. tardigradus, the small civet cat (Vivericula indica mayori), the common Indian palm cat (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus hermaphroditus), and spotted mouse deer (Tragulus meminna), with an analysis of microhabitat use and conservation status in Sri Lanka.
• Spring 2002. Sri Lanka. Continuing survey of the slender loris in Sri Lanka (focus on L. t. grandis and L. t. tardigradus); ongoing study of L. t. tardigradus with the aim of confirming a new species.
• 2001. Sri Lanka. Status survey and preliminary observations of three subspecies of slender loris (Loris tardigradus tardigradus, L. t. nordicus, and L. t. grandis).
• 1999 St. Louis, MO. Radio Tracking Study of the opposum (Didelphus virginianus) in Forest Park.
• 1998 India. Study of wild Loris tardigradus lydekkerianus in Ayyalur, Dindigul (Dt), Tamil Nadu, South India. Focus of study included habitat use, diet, social organization and theoretical implications of how resource use influences primate social organization, as well as foraging strategies of the slender loris and implications for the evolution of stereoscopy among primates.
• 1997 India. Assessment of presence of the slender loris, Loris tardigradus, in South India with particular emphasis on the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
• 1996 St. Louis Zoological Gardens. Study of mixed species exhibit of saki monkeys (Pithecia pithecia) and saddle back tamarins (Saguinus fuscicollis), with focused analysis on the quality of captive saki diets.
• 1996 St. Louis Zoological Gardens, 5 month internship in Primate House - keeper duties with several species of non-human primates
• 1995 Tyson Research Center, St. Louis, Missouri. Practice in nocturnal field methods through a study of the southern flying squirrel, Glaucomys volans.
• 1994 Trinidad. Field Assistant. Population assessment of several species of sympatric bats, including fishing bats (Noctillio leporinus), nectar bats (Glosophaga soricina), white winged vampire bats (Diaemos youngi), and spear-nosed bats (Phillostomus discolor).
• 1994 Senegal. Field Assistant. Population assessment and recording breeding behaviour and seasonality of four fruitbats: straw coloured (Eidolon helvum), Gambian epauleted (Epomophorus gambianus), dwarf epauleted (Micropterus pusillis) and hammer headed (Hypsignathus monstrosus).
• 1994. Uinta Basin, Utah. Field assistant with Washington University Paleontology. Collection of Eocene fossils with an emphasis on small mammals.
• 1993 Lincoln Park Zoological Gardens, Chicago, IL. Captive study of the behaviour of two subspecies of ruffed lemur, Varecia variegata variegata and V.v. rubra

Research Accomplishments:

• 2000: PhD Dissertation: The Socioecology of the Slender Loris (Loris tardigradus lydekkerianus) in South India. University Microfilms, Michigan. DISSERTATION ABSTRACTS INTERNATIONAL. A61(5). Pgs: 1929.
• 1993: B.A. Honours Thesis Research. “Pair-bonding Behaviours and Male Dominance Hierarchies in Two Subspecies of Ruffed Lemurs, Varecia variegata variegata and V.v. rubra.”

Peer Reviewed Publications

• Nekaris KAI. 2003. Observations on mating, birthing and parental care in three taxa of slender loris in India and Sri Lanka (Loris tardigradus and Loris lydekkerianus). Folia Primatologica, supp. (S. Gursky and KAI Nekaris, eds.). 74:312-336.
• Nekaris KAI. 2003. Spacing system of the Mysore slender loris (Loris lydekkerianus lydekkerianus). American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 121:86-96.
• Nekaris KAI. 2003. Notes on the distribution and behaviour of three small wild cats in Sri Lanka. Cat News – Journal of the IUCN Cats Specialist Group 38:30-31.
• Nekaris KAI. 2003. Rediscovery of the slender loris in Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka. Asian Primates 8(03):1-7.
• Gursky SG and Nekaris KAI. 2003. Patterns of mating, birthing and rearing in nocturnal prosimians: an historical perspective. Folia Primatologica Supp. 74:241-245.
• Nekaris KAI and Jayewardene J. 2003. Pilot study and conservation status of the slender loris (Loris tardigradus and Loris lydekkerianus) in Sri Lanka. Primate Conservation – Journal of the IUCN Primates Specialist Group. 19: 83-90.
• Nekaris, KAI and Rasmussen DT. 2003. Diet of the Slender Loris. International Journal of Primatology. 24(1):33-46.
• Bearder SK, Nekaris KAI and Lloyd J. 2003. Tips from the bush. In (D. Curtis and J. Setchell, eds.): Handbook of Primate Field Methods. Cambridge University Press. Pp. 309-323.
• Nekaris KAI. 2002. Slender in the night. Natural History. 2(02): 54-59.
• Bearder SK, Nekaris KAI, and Buzzell CA. 2002. Dangers in the night: are some nocturnal primates afraid of the dark? In (L Miller, ed.): Eat or Be Eaten: Predator Sensitive Foraging in Primates, Cambridge University Press. Pp. 21-40.
• Nekaris KAI. 2001. Activity budget and positional behavior of the Mysore slender loris: implications for slow climbing locomotion. Folia Primatologica. 72: 228-241.
• Rasmussen DT and Nekaris KAI. 1998. The Evolutionary History of the Lorisiform Primates. Folia Primatologica. 69 (sup. 1): 250-287.
• Nekaris KAI. In press. Unraveling the mystery of the Ceylon sloth: the slender lorises of Sri Lanka. Loris.
• Nekaris KAI and Jayewardene J. In press. Distribution of slender lorises in four ecological zones in Sri Lanka. Journal of Zoology. 00:000-000.

Non-peer reviewed Popular Articles

• Nekaris KAI. 2002. Nytt ljus över spökdjuret: det outtröttliga spöket. Illustreret Videnskap. No. 3: 32-35. Swedish, Translated by Lars Thomas.
• Nekaris KAI. 2002. Pieknosc nocy. Viva! 18(146): 98-102. Polish, translated by Marzenna Nowakowska.
• Nekaris KAI. 2002. Slender Loris: Forest Spooks; sorting fact from fiction about India’s “evil eye”. Greek translation in Eleftherotypia. 110: 21-25.
• Nekaris KAI. 2001. Slender Loris: Forest Spooks; sorting fact from fiction about India’s “evil eye”. July, vol. 19(7): 46-53. BBC Wildlife.

Book Reviews

• Nekaris KAI. In press. Primate Life Histories by P. Kappeler. For Folia Primatologica

Manuscripts in Preparation

• Invited
  Bearder SK and Nekaris KAI. In prep. Fission fusion social systems among nocturnal primates. For published volume on fission fusion in primates, resulting from 2004 International Primate Society Meetings in Turin
• Nekaris KAI and Bearder SK. In prep. Bushbabies and lorises. Primates in Perspective. Oxford University Press. – an updated version of the classic volume Primate Societies
• Nekaris KAI, Bearder SK and Curtis D. in prep. A reevaluation of the effect of moonlight on the behaviour of nocturnal primates. For published volume on cathemerality, resulting from 2004 International Primate Society Meetings in Turin.

Conference Presentations and Published Abstracts

• 2003. Chair: Primate Behavior and Ecology Oral Session. American Assoc. of Physical Anthropology Meetings.
• 2003. Taxonomic diversity in the slender lorises of Sri Lanka. Presentation at the American Association of Physical Anthropology Meetings, Tempe AZ.
• 2003. Webber C and Nekaris KAI. Abstract. Survey of primates and other mammals in markets of Indonesia, with an analysis of conditions and health of the animals. Primate Society of Great Britain, Spring. Primate Eye Supp.
• 2002. Symposium Organizer: Patterns of mating, rearing and parental care in nocturnal prosimians. At International Primate Society Meetings, Beijing China. With Sharon Gursky. Accepted as an edited volume for Folia Primatologica.
• 2002. Nekaris KAI. Abstract. Paternal care in three subspecies of slender loris, Caring for Primates. Abstracts of the XIXth Congress. The International Primatological Society. Beijing: Mammalogical Society of China. 2002. Pgs: 31.
• 2002. Nekaris KAI and Jayewardene J. Abstract. Status survey and pilot study of the slender loris in Sri Lanka. Caring for Primates. Abstracts of the XIXth Congress. The International Primatological Society. Beijing: Mammalogical Society of China. 2002. Pgs: 340.
• 2002. Gursky S and Nekaris KAI. Abstract. The mating, birthing and parental care strategies of nocturnal prosimians. Caring for Primates. Abstracts of the XIXth Congress. The International Primatological Society. Beijing: Mammalogical Society of China. 2002. Pgs: 26
• 2002. Nekaris KAI. Abstract. More evidence for visual predation in the slender loris. American Journal of Physical Anthropology Supp. 33:117. was not able to attend due to field work; was presented at the 2002 Winter meeting of Primate Society of Great Britain., published in Primate Eye. 2003. 79. Pgs: 5-6
• 2002. Crozier C, Nekaris KAI and Schulze H. Reaction to novel objects in the slender loris (Loris tardigradus nordicus). American Journal of Physical Anthropology Supp. 33:58.
• 2002. Schulze H, Nekaris KAI, Fitch-Snyder H, Plesker R, Streicher U, Groves C, and Vornefield B. A conservation database for lorises and pottos. Presented at Spring Meeting, Primate Society of Great Britain, Oxford. Primate Eye, 77:16-17.
• 2001. Chair: Primate Behavior and Ecology Poster Session. American Assoc. of Physical Anthropology Meetings.
• 2001. Nekaris KAI and Rasmussen DT. Abstract. The bug-eyed slender loris: insect predation and its implications for primate origins. American Journal of Physical Anthropology Supp. 32:112.
• 2001. Bearder SK, Nekaris KAI, and Buzzell CA. Abstract. Dangers in the night: are some nocturnal primates afraid of the dark? International Primatological Society Meeting, Adelaide, Australia.
• 2000. Nekaris, KAI. Abstract. The spacing system of the slender loris (Loris tardigradus lydekkerianus) and its implications for slender loris social organization. American Journal of Primatology Supp. 51:77.
• 2000. Nekaris, KAI and Buzzell, CA. Abstract. How cryptic is the slender loris (Loris tardigradus lydekkerianus)? American journal of Primatology Supp. 51:76-77.
• 2000. Nekaris, KAI. Abstract. The activity budget of the slender loris (Loris tardigradus lydekkerianus) in Dindigul, South India. American journal of Physical Anthropology Supp. 30:235-236.
• 1999. Nekaris, KAI. Abstract. The diet of the slender loris (Loris tardigradus lydekkerianus) in Dindigul, South India. American Journal of Physical Anthropology Supp. 28:209.
• 1997. Nekaris KAI. Abstract. A preliminary survey of the slender loris (Loris tardigradus) in South India. American Journal of Physical Anthropology Supp. 24: 176-177.

Invited Presentations

• December 2003. Surrey, UK, University of Roehampton, School of Life and Support Sciences. Developing conservation strategies for the lorises of Sri Lanka and India.
• November 2003. Zuerich, Institute of Anthropology. The ecological role of the slender loris in the mammalian community of the Bangamukande Estate, Pitigala, Sri Lanka.
• October 2002. Sri Lanka’s hidden gem: Behavioural and ecological clues reveal taxonomic diversity within the genus Loris. Invited speaker to lecture series at University College London.
• March 2002. Results of a survey of the slender loris in Sri Lanka. To Faculty of Animal Science, Ruhuna University, Matara, Sri Lanka.
• July 2001. An introduction to the behaviour, ecology and taxonomy of the primates, with emphasis on the primates of Sri Lanka. To Ruhuna University Faculty of Agriculture Bird Club, Matara, Sri Lanka.
• February 2001. Nocturnal Prosimian Social Organization and Implications for Primate Evolution. State University of New York. Geneseo.
• January 2001. Bugs and Snails and Lizard Tails: the diet of the slender loris and implications for social organization. Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University Colloquial Series.
• October 2000. Primate Diversity and Conservation in India and Sri Lanka. Oxford Brookes University, Guest lecturer, Masters Course in Primate Conservation, School of Social Sciences.
• May 2000. Primates in depth: the prosimian primates. St. Louis Zoological Gardens.
• Workshops and Conservation Awareness Programmes
  

Summer 2003. Children’s biodiversity workshop at Bangamukande Estate, Pitigala, Galle District, Sri Lanka.

• November 2002. Scientific advisor to Irvine, S. 2003. Attack of the Insect Snatchers. Wild. 7(1): 18-25.
• September 2002. Lecture in Sinhalese to children at Ulala village on the fringe of the Masmullah Forest, Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Conducted a conservation awareness project, including a colouring competition, and produced a small booklet of the drawings to distribute to the children.
• April-September 2002. Designed and distributed slender loris conservation posters to agencies, national parks and schools in Sri Lanka, written in Sinhalese, Tamil and English.
• April 2002. Unuhapuluwa, Uguduwa, Mimeena and other creatures of the Sri Lankan night. Awareness program to school children (ages 10-17). Naminioya Central College, Wilgamuwa, Matale DT, Sri Lanka.
• August 2001. Conducted Two-day Workshop: Conservation and Management of the Slender Loris in Sri Lanka. Department of Wildlife Training Center, Giritale, Sri Lanka.
• May-August 2001. Designed and distributed slender loris conservation stickers, t-shirts and ecobags to agencies, schools and national parks in Sri Lanka. Drawing by Helga Schulze.
• March 2000. Invited speaker to several events in Marquette Michigan; spoke to Moosewood Nature Center Opening; second grade class; middle school class; children’s museum; and colloquial speaker at Northern Michigan University Department of Biology.

Television Appearances and Documentary Collaborations

• September 2003. Children’s conservation workshop and discovery of new slender loris species produced by YA (Young Asia) Television, Sri Lanka, for distribution to Asian satellite TV produced by Devaka Seniviratne.
• December 2002. Development of a feature length documentary of Sri Lankan slender lorises with a Japanese film company (Global Wonders of Nature). Produced by Mr. Akira Matsubayashi.
• February 2002. TV interview on Sky’s Einstein Channel discussing behaviour and conservation status of the slender loris, featuring my own video footage.
• January 2002. November 2001. TV interview on Canadian Discovery Channel (@Discovery.com) discussing behaviour of the slender loris, featuring my own video footage.
• November 2001. TV interview on Oxford Channel 6 (UK) promoting conservation awareness of the slender loris.
• Fall 2000-Winter 2001. Scientific advisor for slender loris segment of Sir David Attenborough’s “Life of Mammals: the Tree Dwellers,” produced for BBC. Appeared January 2003. Also contributed to Life of Mammals web site.

Photographic credits

• Cover of: Volume 19 of Primate Conservation – Journal of the IUCN Primates Specialist Group.
• Cover of: The Oak Autumn 2003, magazine of the Oxford Brookes University Alumni Association
• Cover of: Journal of Zoology (in press)
• In: Martin, RD. 2003. Paleontology: Combing the fossil record. Nature. 422 (6930): 388-390.
• In: Fry BG. 2003. The loris: a venomous primate? Fauna. 4(1): 8-11.
• In: Irvine, S. 2003. Attack of the Insect Snatchers. Wild. 7(1): 18-25.
• In: Streier KB. 2003. Primate Behavioral Ecology. Allyn and Bacon.
• In: a featured section on my research of a new online and video course “Biological Anthropology: An Evolutionary Perspective” given by Dr. Barbara J. King; The Teaching Company, producers.
• In: Nekaris KAI. 2002. Slender Loris: Forest Spooks; sorting fact from fiction about India’s “evil eye”. Greek translation in Eleftherotypia. 110: 21-25.
• In: Nekaris KAI. 2002. Slender in the night. Natural History. 2(02): 54-59.
• In: Nekaris KAI. 2002. Nytt ljus över spökdjuret: det outtröttliga spöket. Illustreret Videnskap. No. 3: 32-35. Translated by Lars Thomas.
• In: Nekaris KAI. 2001. Slender Loris: Forest Spooks; sorting fact from fiction about India’s “evil eye”. July, vol. 19(7): 46-53. BBC Wildlife.
• In: Sussman RW. 1999. Primate Ecology and Social Structure. Pearson Custom Publishing: MA.

MSc Students (Primary or co-supervisor, co marked with *)

Below I include a list of students on the MSc in Primate Conservation for whose dissertations I was primary supervisor; I also include research based undergraduate projects.

• Mandy Archer: Comparison of extractive foraging behaviour in three species: striped possum, golden lion tamarin and the aye aye. Oxford Brookes University, expected 2004.
• Brigid Barry: Potential benefits of polyspecific associations of emperor tamarins, saddleback tamarins and Goeldi’s monkeys at Manu National Park, Brazil. Oxford Brookes University 2002.
• Lilia Bernede: Assessment of the taxonomic status of the small red lorises from the southwest of Sri Lanka. Oxford Brookes University, expected 2003.
• Will Bolton: Affects of British tea, coffee and rubber consumption on habitat loss of the silvery gibbon (Hylobates moloch) in Java. Oxford Brookes University. 2002.
• Sarah Caroll: Activity budget of the Buton macaque. Oxford Brookes University, expected 2003.
• David Coultas: Bioacoustic analysis of the loud call of two species of slender loris (Loris tardigradus and L. lydekkerianus nordicus) from Sri Lanka. Oxford Brookes University 2002.
• Yvonne de Jong: Survey of the patas monkey in Kenya. Oxford Brookes University, expected 2004.
• Barbie Dugan: Survey of the Wild Drill Population in Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, Nigeria. Oxford Brookes University, expected 2004.
• Lisa Harris: Survey of pet markets in Indonesia: continuing project. Oxford Brookes University, expected 2003.
• Anna Humberstone: Pilot study and population assessment of Hanuman langurs in Pushkar, India. Oxford Brookes University, expected 2003.
• Julia Lloyd. Methods manual for the habituation of wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) for ecotourism activities. Oxford Brookes University 2002.*
• Lucy Molleson. An illustrated behavioural ethogram of the woolly monkey (Lagothrix lagotricha), based on long-term observations at Monkey Jungle, Cornwall and an associated rehabilitation center in Peru. Oxford Brookes University, expected 2003.
• Alison Phillips. Study of habituation levels of chimpanzees at a tourist site in the Budongo Forest, Uganda. Oxford Brookes University 2002.
• Jes Poulter. The repertoire of vocalizations in the proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) in Sukau, Northern Borneo: a comparative study. Oxford Brookes University, expected 2003.
• Paula Sanfey: Study of re-released semi-free ranging slow and pygmy lorises in Thailand. Oxford Brookes University, expected 2003.
• Clare Short: Genetic analysis of pair bonds of gibbons in Thailand. Oxford Brookes University, expected 2003.
• Alison Tew: Study of diet and ranging of sympatric mouse lemurs at the Berenty Reserve in Madagascar. Oxford Brookes University, expected 2003.
• Jes Tombs: Re-release of wild-born orphaned chimpanzees in Congo. Oxford Brookes University 2002. *
• Pamela Troni: Construction of manual for sanctuaries housing Asian lorises, geared towards individuals with lower education levels. Oxford Brookes University, expected 2003.
• Faith Warner. A comprehensive report on the conservation status of Pan paniscus in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Oxford Brookes University, expected 2003. *
• Claire Webber. Survey of primates and other mammals in the markets of Indonesia, with an analysis of conditions and health of the animals. Oxford Brookes University 2002.
• Katie Wilson. Introductions, group cohesion and social relationships in a group of captive Western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). Oxford Brookes University 2002. *