Neil Chace ’26, an animal behavior, ecology and conservation (ABEC) major at Canisius University has co-authored a new study with Biology and ABEC Professor Susan W. Margulis, PhD, as part of the school’s Team Ape research group. Their paper, “Space Use Preferences and Species Proximity in a Mixed-Species Zoo Monkey Exhibit,” was published in the Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens.
The study examined the behavior of three New World monkey species—white-faced sakis, black-capped squirrel monkeys and common squirrel monkeys—housed together in a mixed-species exhibit at the Buffalo Zoo’s M&T Bank Rainforest Falls. Over the course of a year, Chace and Margulis analyzed how the monkeys shared space and interacted with one another, offering insights into both the benefits and challenges of mixed-species zoo habitats.
Key findings show that the squirrel monkeys utilized more of the exhibit space than the sakis, while the sakis spent more time in close proximity or contact with one another compared to the other species. Notably, when housed alone, the sakis used more of the exhibit, suggesting that species combinations influence how animals interact with their environment.
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