Research Opportunities

Current Research Projects and Publications:

Research Projects and Publications List To Date

Planning your research:

The Myakka City Lemur Reserve lends itself to studies in lemur behavior, primate cognition, captive management, conservation biology, and many other fields. Undergraduate and graduate students are welcome to conduct research at the Myakka City Lemur Reserve. We recommend that interested students arrange to visit the reserve early in the planning process for their research projects. 

Please read the LCF Research Policy below for detailed guidelines.

Professors interested in conducting research at the Myakka City Lemur Reserve or in bringing students to the reserve for “in-the-field” training should contact the Program Manager.

The following documentation is required of all applicants:

- Introduction letter, specifying internship of interest, date and duration desired.

- Two letters of recommendation

- Letter of support from project sponsor

- Current curriculum vitae or resume

- Proof of negative Tb test within past 9 months

- Research proposal

Download the Research Proposal Form

All materials should be sent to the Program Manager:

manager@lemurreserve.org
or
PO Box 249
Myakka City, FL 34251

LCF Research Policy

Scientific research is an essential element of the mission of the Lemur Conservation Foundation. The unique facilities of the LCF provide a valuable setting for understanding critical issues for lemur in situ and ex situ conservation. Research guidelines and priorities are determined by the LCF Scientific Advisory Board.

The following guidelines are applicable to individuals interested in conducting research at the LCF Reserve:

- All researchers must demonstrate in their proposal that the project involves no physical or psychological harm to the lemurs.

- Research requiring surgery is prohibited.

- Research projects that include sample collection requiring anesthesia (i.e blood samples, parasite collection, or similar) will be considered carefully on a case by case basis. In such cases, the researcher should attempt to coordinate sampling with regular annual physicals. However, physicals can be scheduled flexibly to accommodate a particular research project if the LCF Advisory Council approves: submitting a proposal well in advance increases the likelihood of coordinating sampling and physicals and consequently increases the chance of project approval when anesthesia is involved.

- Prior to submitting proposals to the LCF, the researcher should receive approval from his/her home institution’s IACUC.

- All research proposals will be reviewed by both the LCF IACUC and the LCF Scientific Advisory Council. Both committees must approve the project before the project can commence.

- All proposals must be submitted 60 days prior to the intended start of the study and all comments, edits, concerns and conditions must be addressed, and, when requested, changes or corrections completed 30 days prior to the intended start of the study.

- LCF discourages the submission of project proposals requiring exclusive access to research subjects.

- It is expected that LCF will receive a copy of any final work arising from research conducted at the reserve and that LCF will be acknowledged in any publications stemming from research done at the reserve. Please contact the Librarian for an LCF accession number to include in your publication.

Projects meeting the following criteria will be given priority, with criteria in order of importance:

-Project does not interfere with the natural patterns of behavior or troop composition of the lemurs at the reserve.

- Project cannot be conducted in a traditional captive environment due to the nature of the methods and/or research question.

- Project contributes to the colony management or animal husbandry of captive lemurs, particularly in semi-free ranging habitats.

- Project focuses on a new & unique aspect of prosimian ecology, behavior, and/or physiology, adding rather than duplicating published information.

- Project does not exclude concurrent research on the subjects of the study.

- Project is supported, in writing, by a professor at an accredited institution.

- Project includes a means of disseminating results to the larger scientific community.

Rate Sheet:

Scientific Advisory Council

The scientists on LCF’s advisory board are responsible for establishing the Myakka City Lemur Reserve’s animal collection plan and the formal research policy. All research proposals are reviewed by one or more of the advisory council members and must be approved by these reviewers before the research can commence. It is also the responsibility of the advisory council to monitor the progress and results of research projects. This is done annually and usually focuses on the completion of previously approved projects, the dissemination of results to the larger scientific community, and the projects overall affect on the management of the colony. A general review of the past year’s project may result in changes to the research policy, if the advisory council deems this necessary. Individual members of the council determine their own level of involvement for both policy setting and project review. The level of involvement in any given project generally reflects each member’s area of expertise.

Current Members and Their Affiliations:

Dr. George Amato, Director, Conservation Genetics, American Museum of Natural History

Dr. Kenneth E. Glander, Professor, Physical Anthropology, Duke University

Dr. Elwyn L. Simons, Scientific Director, Duke University Primate Center

Dr. Eleanor Sterling, Director, Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, American Museum of Natural History

Dr. Robert W. Sussman, Professor, Physical Anthropology, Washington University at St. Louis

Dr. Ian Tattersall, Curator, Division of Anthropology, American Museum of Natural History

Dr. Linda Taylor, Associate Professor of Anthropology, University of Miami

Dr. Michael Stuart, Professor of Biology retired, University of North Carolina, Asheville

Accommodations:

The Lemur Conservation Foundation is proud to offer accommodations for visiting interns and researchers. The LCF Researchers' House is equipped with two bathrooms (one handicap accessible), four bedrooms, a full kitchen, a dining area, a washer and dryer, and shared living space. Maximum capacity is eight students. 

When staying at the guest house, students are required to pay a $100/week fee to help LCF cover the housing expenses. This fee does not cover food or other personal items. 

The reserve is located in a rural area. The nearest convenience store is a fifteen minute drive and the nearest grocery store is a forty minute drive. It is strongly recommended that students planning on staying at the reserve for more than one week provide their own transportation. The surrounding area offers parks, beaches, malls, museums and movie theaters but all destinations require a vehicle.