Jessica Gunson

PhD student @NYUPrimatology and @TheRealNYCEP, behavioral ecology, sexual selection in the elusive drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus), (she/her)

[Jessica Gunson @GunsonWildlife]

You know you’re a real academic when your phone autocorrects “f*** it all” to “f*** et al” #AcademicChatter

[Megan Petersdorf @meganpetersdorf]

This paper was a big effort across the field, lab, and computer with many wonderful collaborators including @nyuprimatology @kindacamp @GunsonWildlife @AlisonGovaerts @HillegasMadison @SandraWinters22 and others not on twitter. I am so grateful to everyone involved! 🐒

[NYU Primatology @nyuprimatology]

Huge congratulations to our PhD student @GunsonWildlife on being awarded a Fulbright @FulbrightPrgrm fellowship to Nigeria to undertake her dissertation research on the extraordinary drills!

[Jessica Gunson @GunsonWildlife]

And just like that, my spring 2023 field season has come to an end. A huge thank you to Pandrillus and the Drill Ranch staff for their friendship and support. See you next season!

[Jessica Gunson @GunsonWildlife]

I truly cannot understand the grip that Ed Sheeran has on Nigeria. If I hear “Shape of You” one more time I’ll scream!

[NYU Primatology @nyuprimatology]

Check out my new article about the exquisite crested macaques, and their suite of putative sexually-selected traits. Part of an upcoming special issue celebrating 15 years of the @MNPTangkoko!

[Jessica Gunson @GunsonWildlife]

@CRobertson500 @TheAtlantic @DKThomp AMAZING!!

[Jessica Gunson @GunsonWildlife]

Shoutout to the old ladies who made sure I was swept inside of the bank rather than to the side 🙏

[Jessica Gunson @GunsonWildlife]

Spending my Friday on my least favorite fieldwork errand - immigration 😔

[Jessica Gunson @GunsonWildlife]

If you haven’t heard about the Nigerian naira crisis, it’s worth a read. Today I was swept into a (relatively friendly) angry mob at the bank while trying to pay for a visa extension

[Jessica Gunson @GunsonWildlife]

@drterdal @ambrquerquetrky That’s really great to hear! This project has clearly been in the works for a long time

[Jessica Gunson @GunsonWildlife]

Check it out! I’m so excited to be a part of this project, and that the time @ambrquerquetrky and I spent hunting down gorilla hairs in our department’s basement has paid off

[Marina Alvarez-Estape @mae_minaa]

Did you know that single shed hairs can be a great DNA source to study wild populations?🧬🦍 Check our recent paper: Past Connectivity but Recent Inbreeding in Cross River Gorillas Determined Using Whole Genomes from Single Hairs @Genes_MDPI https://t.co/1ecExp8Yzz

[Jessica Gunson @GunsonWildlife]

@drterdal I’ll be looking at the chemical composition of these scent glands to see if they correlate with dominance rank, reproductive success, or female mate preferences

[Jessica Gunson @GunsonWildlife]

We are swabbing drill sternal scent glands this week at Drill Ranch, Nigeria. Check out the oily hair on Shikra’s chest! He is one seriously smelly boy

[Jessica Gunson @GunsonWildlife]

@clarkjosephf In my understanding, drills, mandrills, and gibbons are the only monkeys or apes of Africa or Asia to have sternal scent glands!

[Jessica Gunson @GunsonWildlife]

@JillPruetz Their canines are really magnificent!!

[Jessica Gunson @GunsonWildlife]

This drill was carefully anesthetized by Drill Ranch’s vet, and was pronounced “thoroughly asleep” before I entered the cage. Safety first when it comes to large primates!

[Jessica Gunson @GunsonWildlife]

@BushBiologist That’s secretly why I posted this you just get me

[Jessica Gunson @GunsonWildlife]

As a note, these drills are anesthetized by Drill Ranch’s veterinarian for routine health checks and masks are worn at all times during the procedure

[Jessica Gunson @GunsonWildlife]

@deborah_duke That’s a great question! The more central part of the face is bony, but the outer cheek pads are fleshy/fatty. It’s a very weird texture!

We’re not sure yet why they have it, but it could play a role in sexual signaling - or not

[Jessica Gunson @GunsonWildlife]

Taking a temporary break from jungle life to post a few drill photos. I'm a bit biased toward photographing big colorful males, so today, please enjoy this quiet moment with a female drill.

I'd love to hear any questions you have about these magnificent creatures!

[Jessica Gunson @GunsonWildlife]

@primate_diana Drill Ranch has 6 groups of drills and 1 of chimps. While some groups are habituated to the keepers who provide them with food and clean water, most of them prefer to keep their distance from humans