Simon Bearder

Simon Bearder is a Professor of Anthropology and a researcher focused on primatology and human evolution.

Simon Bearder studied zoology, geology and botany at University College of Wales, Aberystwyth and spent 10 years in South Africa, researching the ecology and behaviour of nocturnal mammals. He gained his PhD for field and laboratory studies of bushbabies at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, and later worked on feeding behaviour and communication in spotted hyaenas for the Mammal Research Institute in Pretoria.

Simon Bearder’s research interests are the identification and conservation of nocturnal primates. He co-ordinates the Nocturnal Primate Research Group which has helped to discover 6 previously unrecognised bushbabies. He also runs a Sound Analysis Laboratory with an extensive library of wildlife sounds.

His work has taken him to Zimbabwe, Kenya, Brazil, Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Gabon and Madagascar, where the devastating effects of human activities on wildlife populations are readily apparent.

The results of this work have been documented in numerous scientific publications, articles in wildlife magazines, radio broadcasts and three television programs.

Fun Fact
Simon says he has absolutely no interest in music and has never voluntarily listened to it.