JACOB ZINN
PhD Student

RESEARCH: Parisian Raccoons in the Rainforest: Behavior and population genetics of ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) in Ivohiboro Protected Area, Ihorombe, Madagascar. 

BIO: After completing my B.S. in Zoology and Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2022, I served as the on-site resident intern at Primates Incorporated, where I conducted behavioral observations and learned proper husbandry techniques for former laboratory macaques and other monkeys kept as pets. Then, I completed my M.A. in Anthropology at Stony Brook University under the direction of Dr. Patricia Wright. There, I completed a master’s thesis investigating the effects of habitat disturbance on the diet and behavior of Milne-Edwards’ sifaka (Propithecus edwardsi) in Ranomafana National Park. After the completion of my M.A. in 2025, I returned to Madagascar to mount an expedition to Ivohiboro to study the only known population of rainforest-dwelling ring-tailed lemurs. 

The Ivohiboro Nouvelle Aire Protégée (INAP) is a recently established protected area in southeastern Madagascar – one of the last remaining rainforest fragments amid the central plateau’s scorched grasslands. It is a refuge for many of Madagascar’s endemic species, including the endangered ring-tailed lemur. This highly social primate is thought to have evolved in the xeric scrublands and gallery forests of the island’s southwest and now persists in the INAP as surrounding habitats have been destroyed. Although L. catta is often described as the most terrestrial lemur species, this characterization is largely based on studies conducted in drier, more open environments. Understanding the behavior of L. catta in this atypical, humid forest is key to assessing its ecological flexibility.

Under the direction of Dr. Pozzi, I hope to return to this site, study the effects of geographic isolation on behavior and genetics, and assess the population’s vulnerability under climate change. I am also an avid birder and mammal-watcher who hopes to travel the world to photograph as many species as possible. 

INTERESTS: Conservation, biodiversity, behavioral ecology, Madagascar
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