Role
PhD Student
Specialisms
Animal behaviour
Behavioural ecology
Conservation
Behavioural ecology
Conservation
Contact details
Institute of Zoology
Zoological Society of London
London
NW1 4RY
Contact links
Google Scholar
Simon's work focusses on social learning, in particular how this is exhibited in primates in response to rapid environmental changes.
Social learning, the learning of behaviours through observation of another is key to the spread of information through groups. These behaviours can be adaptive or disadvantageous but may lead to group traditions and cultures. The spread of such behaviours through a group can also be impacted by characteristics of the learners such as age, sex, dominance or social relationships. This behavioural variation leads to differential adaptive potential to rapid change such as climate change. Social learning and animal culture is therefore of great conservation importance when considering adaptation to change, for instance in changing environments, reintroductions and translocations.
Feel free to contact Simon if you have any questions about his research, would like advice, or if you are looking for PDRAs!
Professional history
May 2022-present: Tsaobis Baboon Project – Field Team Leader
September 2021-present: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, IoZ, PSGB, London NERC DTP
April 2021-present: PhD in Evolutionary Biology, The Evolution of Culture in Heterogenous Social Networks, UCL and ZSL Institute of Zoology
2019-2020: MSc Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Queen Mary University of London
2017-2018: Research Assistant, Manchester Metropolitan University
July-August 2016: Research Assistant, Wildlife Sense
July-August 2015: Research Assistant, Operation Wallacea Honduras
2014-2019: BSc (Hons) Zoology with Industrial/Professional Experience, University of Manchester
Publications
Kenworthy, S P., Roatti, V., Cowlishaw, G., Carter, A J., 2023. Introducing smartificial fruits: touchscreen social learning in wild desert baboons. – Poster presented at ASAB and PSGB, presentation at Baboonmoot (UK). Best poster award PSGB.
Kenworthy, S P., Cowlishaw, G., Carter, A J., 2022. Scope of social learning across vertebrates. – Poster presented at Royal Society and Institute of Zoology, presentation at ASAB and Baboonmoot (France).
Bettridge, C M., Kenworthy, S P., Butynski, T M., de Jong, Y A., de Kort, S., 2019. Intraspecific structural differences in loud calls of the small-eared greater galago (O. garnettii). Folia Primatol; 90:1–17. https://doi.org/10.1159/000500260.
Bettridge, C., Ellison, G., Kenworthy, S., De Kort, S., 2018. Species and population differences in calling pattern of Galagos in contrasting habitats. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 165, 28–28. – Poster presented at American Association of Physical Anthropologists (AAPA) conference 2018 in Austin, Texas.