Working with the guidance of my advisor and primatologist Zarin Machanda, I will compare captive chimpanzee personality data from the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary with wild chimpanzee personality data from the Kibale Chimpanzee Project. Both based in Uganda, the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary works to home and rehabilitate orphaned and rescued chimpanzees, and the Kibale Chimpanzee Project is a long-term chimpanzee field study with over thirty years of data. 

 In particular, I hope to apply the study's findings to determining which rescued chimpanzees would be the best candidates for release back into the wild. I will explore the differences and similarities between captive and wild chimpanzees to determine the personality traits most common in wild populations. This research would be meaningful for sanctuaries, such as the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee sanctuary, to ensure the success of rescued chimpanzee releases.

 I will study the rates of boldness in captive vs. wild female chimpanzees, to determine how captivity affects boldness and chimpanzee dominance hierarchy. This research may give insight into how captivity affects personality, allowing for further research into captive animal welfare and personality development in chimpanzees.

To carry out this research, I will cross-analyze the two data sets: captive chimpanzee personality data and wild chimpanzee personality data. I will create a mechanism for determining positive release traits for rescued primates by studying differences between the two data sets and determining which personality traits, such as boldness, extraversion, or agreeableness, are necessary for release. Additionally, I will compare rates of boldness in captive versus wild female chimpanzees to convey the best methods for habituating female chimpanzees and explore the effects of captivity on female boldness and dominance hierarchies.