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Anne E. Russon

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Anne E. Russon is a Canadian psychologist and primatologist. She is a researcher and Professor of Psychology at Glendon College, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada whose research focuses on learning and intelligence in ex-captive Bornean orangutans.[1] Russon is widely published in the fields of primate behavior and ecology,[2] is executive director of the Borneo Orangutan Society of Canada,[3] and is the author of several popular press books dealing with Great Apes including Orangutans: Wizards of the Rainforest,[4] Reaching into Thought: The Minds of the Great Apes,[5] and The Evolution of Thought: Evolution of Great Ape Intelligence.[6]

Early life and education

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Russon received her doctorate at the University of Montreal, and her Masters and York University in Toronto, where she currently teaches.[7] Before she began to study orangutans, Russon had experience working with chimpanzees in laboratory settings.[4] It was there that she developed an interest in great ape intelligence, especially studying them outside of captivity.[4] Since 1989, Russon has been studying Bornean orangutan intelligence.[8]

Career

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Work with orangutans

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Russon began to study orangutans because she felt that they had been neglected in previous research on great ape intelligence, despite growing evidence of their complexity.[4] Her choice to study ex-captives was born out of several factors. First, the lifestyle of wild orangutans was not conducive to up-close study.[4] Also, captive orangutans are often mistreated, and therefore emotionally or mentally damaged, making them inadequate study subjects.[4] Ex-captives, however, could be studied closely, since they were familiar with humans, yet they were more well-functioning and healthy than those in captivity.[4]

Russon’s work has focused on conservation efforts. She is executive director of the Borneo Orangutan Society of Canada, a charitable organization which supports orangutan conservation efforts in Indonesia and Malaysia.[3] She is also a part of the advisory boards for other orangutan support organizations, including Alchemy Films, Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation–Indonesia, the Orangutan Conservancy, and Orangutan Network.[3] She also runs “Orangutan Sanctuary”, a webpage meant to provide resources for professionals interested in orangutan conservation.[1]

Awards and recognition

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During her Tenure at York, Russon has been recognized with several awards from the university. In 2017, Russon was awarded with York’s President’s Research Excellence Award, meant to recognize full-time professors at York university for their positive impact on York’s reputation, and on the university community.[9] Russon was also awarded with the 2018 Distinguished Research Professorship for her research contributions.[10]

Published work

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Russon is known for her work on primate cognition with Bornean orangutans.

In 1993, Russon published an article with co-author Birute M Galdikas, titled Imitation in free-ranging rehabilitate orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus).[11]

In 1996, Russon edited a book titled Reaching into thought: The minds of the great apes. In this book, field and laboratory researchers show that the Great Apes are capable of thinking at symbolic levels, traditionally considered uniquely human.[5]

In 1998, Russon published an article with coauthor Richard W. Byrne titled Learning by Imitation: A hierarchical approach.[12]  

In 1999, Russon published a nonfiction book titled Orangutans: Wizards of the Rainforest. The book included a brief history on the Orangutans, as well as current issues related to the rehabilitation of these primates. In the book, Russon detailed her experiences working with and rehabilitating ex-captive orangutans.[4]

Russon contributed to the 2002 documentary The Disenchanted Forest.[13]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Faculty and Research at Glendon | Glendon". Retrieved 2019-02-12.
  2. ^ List of Publications
  3. ^ a b c "About Us". Borneo Orangutan Society Canada. Retrieved 2019-02-12.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Russon, Anne E. (1999). Orangutans : wizards of the rain forest. Toronto: Key Porter Books. ISBN 1552630633. OCLC 41505020.
  5. ^ a b Russon, A.; Bard, Kim A.; Parkers, S. (1996). Reaching Into Thought: The Minds of the Great Apes. Cambridge University Press.
  6. ^ Russon, Anne E.; Begun, David R., eds. (2007-07-23). The evolution of thought : evolutionary origins of great ape intelligence (Digitally printed version ed.). Cambridge, UK. ISBN 978-0521039925. OCLC 712129070.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. ^ "Faculty profile details | Glendon". 8 April 2016. Retrieved 2019-02-12.
  8. ^ "Orangutan Sanctuary". www.yorku.ca. Retrieved 2019-02-12.
  9. ^ "Psychology | Glendon". Retrieved 2019-02-12.
  10. ^ "Psychology | Glendon". Retrieved 2019-02-12.
  11. ^ Russon, Anne E.; Galdikas, Birute M. (1993). "Imitation in free-ranging rehabilitant orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus)". Journal of Comparative Psychology. 107 (2): 147–161. doi:10.1037/0735-7036.107.2.147. ISSN 0735-7036. PMID 8370268.
  12. ^ Byrne, Richard W.; Russon, Anne E. (October 1998). "Learning by imitation: A hierarchical approach". Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 21 (5): 667–684. doi:10.1017/s0140525x98001745. ISSN 0140-525X. PMID 10097023. S2CID 988905.
  13. ^ Collective Eye Films, Disenchanted Forest, OCLC 1050824463
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