Carel van Schaik

Prof. Dr. Carel van Schaik is a Professor and Max Planck Fellow at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Radolfzell, Germany, where he leads the Fellow Group van Schaik research team. His work focuses on understanding animal socioecology through comparative analysis of behavioral patterns across species.

Van Schaik's research explores the intersection of ecology, evolution, and social behavior in animals, with particular emphasis on primate societies. His Comparative Socioecology approach examines how environmental factors shape social structures, communication systems, and cultural transmission in animal populations.

As head of his research group, he collaborates with scientists investigating behavioral adaptations in diverse ecosystems. The team's fieldwork spans multiple continents, analyzing how ecological constraints influence social organization and cognitive evolution in wildlife.