{{Short description|British primate biologist (1944–2026)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox scientist | name = David J. Chivers | image = | caption = | birth_name = David John Chivers | birth_date = {{birth year|1944}} | birth_place = Bicester, Oxfordshire, England | death_date = {{death date and given age|2026|3|5|81|df=y}} | death_place = | fields = Primatology | workplaces = University of Cambridge | alma_mater = Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge | known_for = Research on gibbons and primate socio-ecology | awards = President, Primate Society of Great Britain (1982–1986) }}

'''David John Chivers''' (1944 – 5 March 2026) was a British primate biologist who was professor emeritus in Primate Biology and Conservation, and Director of Studies in Veterinary Medicine and also Biological Anthropology, Selwyn College, University of Cambridge. He was also a President of the Primate Society of Great Britain. Chivers was noted for his research in the socio-ecology and conservation of primates and other wildlife in South East Asia, Southern Asia and Brazil.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Professor David Chivers {{!}} Selwyn College |url=https://www.sel.cam.ac.uk/people/professor-david-chivers |access-date=14 November 2025 |website=www.sel.cam.ac.uk}}</ref>

== Early life and education == Chivers was born in Bicester, Oxfordshire, England in 1944. He attended Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood, before studying at Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge. He graduated in 1966 with degrees in Medical Sciences (Veterinary) and Physical Anthropology. Rather than pursuing clinical veterinary training, he began doctoral research in Physical Anthropology, focusing on primate behaviour. His PhD, awarded in 1972, was based on a two-year field study of the siamang in Peninsular Malaysia, following earlier research on Howler monkeys in Panama.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |date=3 July 1986 |title=David Chivers |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/EC5571D085E1225BDC8179D2B6F94D46/S0030605300020172a |journal=Oryx |volume=20 |issue=3 |via=www.cambridge.org}}</ref>

== Career == Chivers joined the University of Cambridge in 1970 as a Demonstrator in Veterinary Anatomy and became a lecturer in 1975. He taught anatomy to veterinary students and primate biology in Physical Anthropology, supervising numerous research projects in Southeast Asia. His work emphasized primate ecology, nutrition, and conservation, including long-term studies in Malaysia and collaborative programs with local universities.

His research formed part of the expansion of field primatology in the late twentieth century, when scientists increasingly studied primates in their natural habitats rather than primarily in laboratory settings.<ref name=":6" />

Chivers edited books including ''Malayan Forest Primates'' (1980) and co-authored volumes on primate feeding and behaviour, which were favourably reviewed.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kinzey |first=Warren G. |date=5 July 1985 |title=Questions about Primate Diet: Food Acquisition and Processing in Primates. |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.229.4708.42 |journal=Science |volume=229 |issue=4708 |pages=42–43 |doi=10.1126/science.229.4708.42 |pmid=17795126 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Rodman |first=Peter S. |date=7 August 1981 |title=Primate Socioecology: Malayan Forest Primates. Ten Years' Study in Tropical Rain Forest. |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.213.4508.642 |journal=Science |volume=213 |issue=4508 |pages=642–643 |doi=10.1126/science.213.4508.642}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Academic Research Reading: Personalised Research Discovery - R Discovery |url=https://discovery.researcher.life/ |access-date=14 November 2025 |website=discovery.researcher.life |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Teaford |first=Mark |date=1987 |title=Primate ecology and functional morphology. Review of Food Acquisition and Processing in Primates, edited by David J. Chivers, Bernard A. Wood, and Alan Bilsborough |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ajp.1350120212 |journal=American Journal of Primatology |volume=12 |pages=235–237 |doi=10.1002/ajp.1350120212 |via=Wiley}}</ref>

He served as President of the Primate Society of Great Britain<ref name="History">{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://www.psgb.org/pages/71-history |access-date=14 November 2025 |website=Primate Society of Great Britain}}</ref> and organized international primatology congresses. His research combined anatomical studies with field ecology, contributing to understanding primate diets and rainforest conservation.<ref name=":1" />

=== Siamangs === Chivers frequented Malaysia from 1968 to 1972 while undertaking his PhD studying siamangs, from which he published ''The Siamang in Malaya. A Field Study of a Primate in Tropical Rain Forest.''<ref name="Fleagle 1976 196–197">{{Cite journal |last=Fleagle |first=John G. |date=1976 |editor-last=Chivers |editor-first=David J. |title=The Siamang in Malaya |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2407691 |journal=Evolution |volume=30 |issue=1 |pages=196–197 |doi=10.2307/2407691 |jstor=2407691 |issn=0014-3820}}</ref>

=== Gibbons === Chivers developed a special interest in Gibbons following his first encounters in Malaysia in 1968. In 1985 he moved to Borneo to develop Project Barito Ulu in Central Kalimantan with the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry, to investigate the role of fruit-eating animals in seed dispersal in the natural regeneration of forests<ref name=":6" />, living there until 2012. Out of 50 doctoral studies he supervised, 12 were on gibbons.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Guest blog: Dr David Chivers |url=http://outrop.blogspot.com/2014/04/guest-blog-dr-david-chivers.html |access-date=14 November 2025 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

He was a noted expert of gibbon behaviour, including their raucous dawn singing, which he described as a “beautiful symphony”.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Hastings |first1=Chris |last2=Jamieson |first2=Alistair |date=23 August 2008 |title=Amorous gibbons keep neighbours awake |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2608961/Amorous-gibbons-keep-neighbours-awake.html |work=The Telegraph}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mirror.co.uk |date=24 August 2008 |title=Frisky apes are gibbon noise 'Asbo' |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/frisky-apes-are-gibbon-noise-asbo-330835 |access-date=14 November 2025 |website=The Mirror |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8nxf-0n9Z4 |title=Dr Chivers performs his gibbon calls |date=31 May 2013 |last=Robert Whitaker |access-date=14 November 2025 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

=== Orangutans === From 1999 to 2014 he focused on orangutans, supervising at least seven doctoral theses examining orangutan rehabilitation and reintroduction.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=27 April 2009 |title=Conservationists torn over how to save orangutans - Taipei Times |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2009/04/27/2003442125 |access-date=14 November 2025 |website=www.taipeitimes.com}}</ref>

=== Conservation and advocacy === Throughout his career and after his retirement from Cambridge in 2013, Chivers remained a vocal advocate for primate habitat conservation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vanished ape found in ancient Chinese tomb, giving clues to its disappearance |url=https://www.science.org/content/article/vanished-ape-found-ancient-chinese-tomb-giving-clues-its-disappearance |access-date=14 November 2025 |website=www.science.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Shannon |first=Joel |title=Extinct gibbon discovered in an ancient tomb. It might have been a pet. |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/06/21/extinct-gibbon-discovered-ancient-chinese-tomb/723515002/ |access-date=14 November 2025 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2009 he was a panellist at the Great Ape Debate held at the Linnean Society where conservationists discussed a growing controversy surrounding measures to save the orangutan.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Puspa |date=28 April 2009 |title=The Great Ape Debate |url=https://www.orangutan.org.uk/blog/2009/04/28/the-great-ape-debate |access-date=14 November 2025 |website=Orangutan Foundation |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Chivers emphasised “the critical issue of needing to understand ourselves” is central to mitigating negative human impacts, and believed biologist Jeremy Griffith’s explanation of the human condition offers “the necessary breakthrough.”<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jeremy Griffith talks with anthropologist Dr David Chivers |url=https://www.humancondition.com/transcript-jeremy-griffith-with-david-chivers/ |access-date=14 November 2025 |website=World Transformation Movement |language=en}}</ref>

== Death == Chivers died on 5 March 2026, at the age of 81.<ref>{{cite web |title=David Chivers, 1944-2026 |url=https://www.sel.cam.ac.uk/news/david-chivers-1944-2026 |website=Selwyn College |date=6 March 2026|access-date=7 March 2026}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Butler |first=Rhett |date=9 March 2026 |title=David Chivers, student of the singing apes |url=https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/david-chivers-student-of-the-singing-apes/ |access-date=15 March 2026 |website=Conservation news |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Caldecott |first1=Julian |title=David Chivers obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/apr/03/david-chivers-obituary |access-date=3 April 2026 |publisher=The Guardian |date=3 April 2026}}</ref>

== Leadership positions == * President, Primate Society of Great Britain 1982-6<ref name="History"/> * President and trustee of the Borneo Nature Trust<ref>{{Cite web |last=Admin |first=B. N. F. |date=8 December 2017 |title=BNF joined the PSGB 50th anniversary |url=https://www.borneonaturefoundation.org/uncategorized/bnf-joined-psgb-50th-anniversary/ |access-date=14 November 2025 |website=Borneo Nature Foundation |language=en-US}}</ref> * Patron of Twycross Zoo<ref>{{Cite web |title=Twycross Zoo remembers its founders with blue plaques |url=https://twycrosszoo.org/latest-news/twycross-zoo-remembers-its-founders-with-blue-plaques/ |access-date=14 November 2025 |website=Twycross Zoo |language=en}}</ref> * Head, Wildlife Research Group, University of Cambridge<ref name=":5" /> * Tutor and Praelector and Gardens Steward, University of Cambridge<ref name=":0" /> * Council Member, Fauna and Flora Preservation Society (FFPS) (now Fauna and Flora International (FFI))<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Chivers |first=David |date=1983 |title=Book Review: A Complete Guide to Monkeys, Apes and other Primates |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/A1DD0ADB77E56DD3822FBEABCB6C15D1/S003060530001886Xa.pdf |journal=Oryx |volume=18 |issue=2 |pages=120–121 |doi=10.1017/S003060530001886X |via=www.Cambridge.org}}</ref>

== Selected publications ==

=== Selected books === * ''Recent Advances in Primatology: Vol.2''. David J. Chivers and William Lane-Petter (eds). 1978. Academic Press Inc. {{ISBN|978-0-121-73302-5}}. * ''Malayan Forest Primates: Ten Years’ Study in Tropical Rain Forest.'' 1980. {{ISBN|978-1-4757-0878-3}}<ref>{{Citation |last=Chivers |first=David J. |title=Introduction |date=1980 |work=Malayan Forest Primates: Ten Years’ Study in Tropical Rain Forest |pages=1–28 |editor-last=Chivers |editor-first=David J. |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-0878-3_1 |access-date=14 November 2025 |place=Boston, MA |publisher=Springer US |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-1-4757-0878-3_1 |isbn=978-1-4757-0878-3}}</ref> * ''Food Acquisition and Processing in Primates''. 1982. David J. Chivers, Bernard A. Wood & Alan Bilsborough. Springer. {{ISBN|978-1-475-75246-5}}.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Chivers |first1=David J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pejgBwAAQBAJ |title=Food Acquisition and Processing in Primates |last2=Wood |first2=Bernard A. |last3=Bilsborough |first3=Alan |date=9 March 2013 |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |isbn=978-1-4757-5244-1 |language=en}}</ref> * ''Gorillas and chimpanzees'' (First sight). David Chivers. 1987. {{ISBN| 978-1-573-35536-0}}. * ''Hands of Primates''. 1993. Holger Preuschoft & David J. Chivers (Eds). Springer. {{ISBN|978-3-709-17434-0}}.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Preuschoft |first1=Holger |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dZQHCAAAQBAJ&dq=%22david+j+chivers%22&pg=PT6 |title=Hands of Primates |last2=Chivers |first2=David J. |date=6 December 2012 |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |isbn=978-3-7091-6914-8 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Selected articles and chapters === * ''The siamang in Malaya: A field study of a primate in tropical rainforest''. Basel: Karger; 1974.<ref name="Fleagle 1976 196–197"/> * Chivers, David J. "Communication Within and Between Family Groups of Siamang (Symphalangus Syndactylus)", ''Behaviour'' 57, 1-2 (1976): 116–135.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Chivers |first=David |date=1 January 1976 |title=Communication Within and Between Family Groups of Siamang (Symphalangus Syndactylus) |url=https://brill.com/view/journals/beh/57/1-2/article-p116_5.xml |journal=Behaviour |volume=57 |issue=1–2 |pages=116–135 |doi=10.1163/156853976X00136 |via=Brill}}</ref> * Chivers DJ. "Sexual behaviour of wild siamang". Chivers DJ, Herbert J, editors. ''Recent advances in primatology''. London: Academic Press; 1978. pp.&nbsp;609–610. * ''The primates of peninsular Malaysia''. 1979<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Chivers |first=David |date=February 1979 |title=The primates of peninsular Malaysia |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/277433a0 |journal=Nature |language=en |volume=277 |issue=5696 |pages=433 |doi=10.1038/277433a0 |bibcode=1979Natur.277..433C |issn=1476-4687}}</ref> * Chivers DJ, Hladik CM. "Morphology of the gastrointestinal tract in primates: comparisons with other mammals in relation to diet." ''Journal of Morphology''. 1980;166:337–386. doi: 10.1002/jmor.1051660306. * Chivers, D. J. (2001). "The swinging singing apes: Fighting for food and family in Far-East forests." ''The apes: Challenges for the 21st century'' (pp.&nbsp;1–28). Brookfield, IL: Chicago Zoological Society. * Chivers, David J. "Gibbons: the small apes." ''World atlas of great apes and their conservation.'' Berkeley: University of California Press. p (2005): 205–214. {{ISBN|0-520-24633-0}}. * Harrison ME, Morrogh-Bernard HC, Chivers DJ. "Orangutan energetics and the influence of fruit availability in the nonmasting peat-swamp forest of Sabangau, Indonesian Borneo". ''International Journaly of Primatology''. 2010;31:585–607 * Chivers, David J. and McConkey, Kim R. "Introduction: From Diets to Disturbance: The Evolution of Primate Feeding Studies". ''How Primates Eat: A Synthesis of Nutritional Ecology across a Mammal Order'', edited by Joanna E. Lambert, Margaret A. H. Bryer and Jessica M. Rothman, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2024, pp.&nbsp;1–18.<ref>{{Citation |last1=Chivers |first1=David J. |title=Introduction: From Diets to Disturbance: The Evolution of Primate Feeding Studies |date=26 July 2024 |work=How Primates Eat: A Synthesis of Nutritional Ecology across a Mammal Order |pages=1–18 |editor-last=Lambert |editor-first=Joanna E. |url=https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.7208/chicago/9780226829746-003/pdf?licenseType=restricted&srsltid=AfmBOoqsrO-xnMuyAk8dc0I_SQLJZVGMxXA_1P8hBtNmvhuWzXEX-PL4 |access-date=15 November 2025 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |language=en |doi=10.7208/chicago/9780226829746-003/pdf?licensetype=restricted&srsltid=afmbooqsro-xnmuyak8dc0i_sqljzvgmxxa_1p8hbtnmvhuwzxex-pl4 |isbn=978-0-226-82974-6 |last2=McConkey |first2=Kim R. |doi-broken-date=29 December 2025 |editor2-last=Bryer |editor2-first=Margaret A. H. |editor3-last=Rothman |editor3-first=Jessica M.}}</ref> * Nobi, Mohammad Nur & Sarker, A.H.M. & Nath, Biswajit & Kvinta, Paul & Suza, Ma & Chivers, David & Misbahuzzaman, Khaled & Røskaft, Eivin & Hossain, Mohammad. (2025). "Evaluating the economic value of Sundarban, Bangladesh’s provisioning services with a special focus on the forest dependency of the local peoples." ''Journal of Forest Research''. 1–11. 10.1080/13416979.2025.2564572.

=== Documentary films === * ''Gibbons: The Forgotten Apes In Peril''. 2009. 48min. Presenter. Directed by Elliot Haimoff.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gibbons: The Forgotten Apes in Peril {{!}} Rotten Tomatoes |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gibbons_the_forgotten_apes_in_peril |access-date=15 November 2025 |website=www.rottentomatoes.com |language=en}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chivers, David}} Category:1944 births Category:2026 deaths Category:Professors of the University of Cambridge Category:Alumni of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge Category:People educated at Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood Category:English anthropologists Category:Primatologists Category:20th-century English zoologists Category:21st-century British zoologists Category:Fellows of Selwyn College, Cambridge Category:Physical anthropologists Category:20th-century British anthropologists Category:21st-century British anthropologists Category:British mammalogists