Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society, in partnership with Coudert Institute, will present a special event in the Zoo’s award-winning Cocktails & Conservation Lecture Series

On Saturday, February 1, 2020, Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society, in partnership with Coudert Institute, will present a special event in the Zoo’s award-winning Cocktails & Conservation Lecture Series. Noted author and primatologist, Frans B. M. de Waal, Ph.D. will speak about animal emotions, expressions and behaviors in his talk titled Mama’s Last Hug: Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us About Ourselves.

World-renowned Dutch/American primatologist and ethologist, Franciscus Bernardus Maria “Frans” de Waal, is the Charles Howard Candler Professor of Primate Behavior in the Department of Psychology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, director of the Living Links Center at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center at Emory, and author of numerous books including Chimpanzee Politics and Our Inner Ape. His research centers on primate social behavior, including conflict resolution, cooperation, inequity aversion, and food-sharing.

The book title, Mama’s Last Hug: Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us About Ourselves, pays homage to Mama, the alpha female of a famous chimpanzee colony on a forested island at Burgers’ Zoo, the Netherlands. Mama died at the age of 59. Her last hug with Professor Jan van Hooff, which showed a tender moment between the researcher and his beloved subject, went viral on the Internet.

This event, presented by Bank of America, is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Palm Beach Zoo in West Palm Beach. In addition to hearing from Frans B. M. de Waal, Ph.D., guests will enjoy a champagne lunch and up-close animal encounters in the exotic Tropical Safari Pavilion. Ticket package options also include a VIP Experience with Premier Seating with an author meet-and-greet reception starting at 11 a.m.

Tickets: $35 for Zoo members; $50 for non-members, which includes Zoo entry for the day; VIP Experience with Premier Seating and author meet-and-greet reception: $100; VIP Experience and table for 10 people: $1,000. Pre-registration is required. To purchase individual or complete series tickets visit palmbeachzoo.org/lecture.

For more event information please contact Laurie Steele at 561.533.0887 x 253 or lectures@palmbeachzoo.org.

About the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society
As a home to many rare and endangered animals, Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society exists to inspire people to act on behalf of wildlife and the natural world. We advance our conservation mission through endangered species propagation, education and support of conservation initiatives in the field. Our commitment to sustainable business practices elevates our capacity to inspire others. Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society is located at 1301 Summit Boulevard in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. For more information, visit www.palmbeachzoo.org