Sisters of the Jungle: The Trailblazing Women Who Shaped the Study of Wild Primates

A scientist’s memoir that delves into the history of primate field studies and the women who shaped the discipline of primatology, including Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, Birutė Galdikas and Alison Jolly.

Since the 1970s, the science of primatology has been dominated by women—a unique reversal, with men usually outnumbering women in other science, technology, engineering and math fields.

Sisters of the Jungle shines a light on a scientific discipline in which women take the lead while transporting readers to the far corners of the earth to understand our closest living relatives. Keriann McGoogan’s journey as a primatologist has taken her to Belize and Madagascar studying wild primates, including howler monkeys (the loudest living primate) and lemurs (the most endangered group of animals on the planet). Against this backdrop, she explores the stories of the many women who came before her. Intrepid scientists like Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, Birutė Galdikas and Alison Jolly broke boundaries, made astonishing discoveries and ultimately shaped the trajectory of an entire branch of science.

“Sisters of the Jungle is an engaging, beautifully written, enlightening book about women who, through their passion, obsessions, grit, courage, stubbornness and intelligence have helped us to better understand our primate relatives—and ourselves. In so doing they have changed our understanding of our place in the world, and how good science can thrive in even the most challenging social and physical circumstances.”

“Keriann McGoogan, herself a primatologist, has written the gripping story of Jane Goodall and other fearless women who overcame hardship, danger and social convention to investigate our nearest relations in the wild. She brings us a fascinating portrait of the eccentric lives of these women—and the one man who championed them—as they uncovered the social worlds of apes and monkeys, changing forever the way we understand ourselves.”

“Layered with a balanced scientific and meet-cute storyline, the pattern for every primatologist embroiled in fieldwork is obvious. It’s a ‘magical and maddening’ combination, and whether gender has played a role or not, the women McGoogan celebrates and champions within her pages make for a liberating and intelligent read.”

“A meticulously researched page-turner. McGoogan makes it very clear that women build communities of scientific practice through empathy and expertise, and with that we can change the world. Equally uplifting and sobering, Sisters of the Jungle is a call for the conservation of our closest relatives, bringing these scientists and their primate subjects to life in ways I never thought possible.”

“Hats off to Keriann McGoogan for offering such a probing, fascinating and personal perspective on why the study of wild primates is a major field of scientific research that attracts an abundance of women. Sisters of the Jungle stands out as a thoughtful, entertaining and unexpected book from a primatology scholar who has spent nearly two years studying endangered lemurs in the remote forests of Madagascar.”

“Keriann McGoogan’s training as a primatologist and gift for storytelling make this a compelling read. Sisters of the Jungle describes how her passion-driven female mentors laboured under harsh, even deadly, conditions to shed light on the lives of wild primates—and the role we all play in their future.”