We consider an anthropological approach to human-nonhuman interactions in the context of conservation through the assessment of two research projects (“Chimpanzee distribution and relation with local human communities in coastal area of Guinea-Bissau”; “Where humans and chimpanzees meet: assessing sympatry throughout Africa using a multi-tiered approach”). Pulling together a combination of ethnographic data and ethnoecological analyses, an interpretative portrait of human-nonhuman interactions research will be examined. Two main issues will be presented. Firstly, how the study of local human perceptions, knowledge, and practices allows us to understand the human dimension of interactions with chimpanzees. From an ethnobiological perspective, an understanding of how humans relate to other species permits an interpretation of human culture itself; as argued by Roy Ellen ethnobiology is vital to anthropology. Secondly, we will establish the relevance of anthropological methods in interdisciplinary frameworks to seek a more holistic view of inter-species relationships, asking if participation in applied conservation projects distances us or bring us closer to the theoretical perspectives of contemporary anthropology.

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