Why primatology needs local knowledge

Abstract Primate research has long depended on the deep ecological and behavioral knowledge of local communities living near or within primate habitats, yet this knowledge has rarely been given the same visibility as academic science. In this collaboratively formulated article we argue that including local and traditional knowledge alongside scientific studies enriches primatology epistemically, ethically, and practically. We introduce the Perspectives Collective Journal, a collaborative multimedia journal–the first of its kind–created to support the direct sharing of local and traditional insights about primates, as well as other species, in their natural habitats. By providing an accessible and flexible platform for storytelling, reflection, and documentation, including written articles, participatory films, interviews, and group discussions, Perspectives invites a plurality of voices and formats into primatological knowledge production. Here we highlight several ways in which local knowledge can contribute to primatology and its complementary relationship to mainstream science by drawing upon materials published in Perspectives and framing it in relation to the mainstream scientific literature on primate behavior. Overall, this paper and the Perspectives project more generally demonstrate the value of allowing diverse knowledge systems to meet on equal footing.