Susannah Thorpe

Susannah Thorpe is a Professor of Zoology at the University of Birmingham's School of Biosciences. Her research focuses on primate behavioral ecology, particularly the evolution of bipedalism and improving welfare for captive great apes. She co-created the Enclosure Design Tool to enhance ape welfare in zoos and sanctuaries and chairs the Great Ape Welfare group. Thorpe teaches modules on human evolution and locomotor ecology, emphasizing inquiry-based learning. Her lab studies primate locomotion, habitat interactions, and ecomorphology. Notable collaborations include work with DEFRA on UK zoo regulations and projects at the Trentham Monkey Forest.

• Education: BA (Hons) Archaeology and Prehistory (1993), PhD in comparative mechanics of gait (1997), postdoctoral research at Liverpool, Cape Town, and Birmingham.
• Research Themes: Organisms and Environment; Ecomorphology and locomotor biomechanics.

Her publications span primate behavior, biomechanics, and conservation, with recent work on muscle composition in primates and cognitive strategies in captive apes. Thorpe’s lab website: www.biosciences-labs.bham.ac.uk/thorpe/.