Surgical placement of implantable cardiac loop recorders in great apes
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in zoologically managed adult great apes, accounting for 29%−77% of adult deaths in the North American population depending on the species. In an effort to better understand the underlying causes of heart disease, implantable loop recorders (ILRs) have been used in some cases to monitor […]
The use of biofloors in great ape zoo exhibits
The past several decades have seen significant progress in zoo exhibit design, with naturalistic spaces replacing many of the traditional concrete enclosures. Furthermore, research studying the impact of such exhibit design in terms of animal welfare and zoo visitor experience has increased. While this has been especially true for studies of zoo-housed great apes, the […]
Effects of a recurring late‐night event on the behavior and welfare of a population of zoo‐housed gorillas
The impact of visitors on the well‐being of captive animals presents both positive and potentially negative consequences. While some amount of novelty through visitor stimulation offers the opportunity for a more complex captive environment, anecdotal evidence from primate staff observations at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute suggested that gorillas exhibited increased restlessness […]
Differences in novel food response between Pongo and Pan
The diversity of great ape diets requires behavioral flexibility. Consequently, the exploration of potentially novel food sources is supposedly beneficial, but simultaneously, apes show high neophobia to prevent harmful and poisonous food intake. Social information, such as presence of group members or observations of non-naïve, experienced individuals have been demonstrated to affect the acceptance of […]
Paleoenvironmental basis of cognitive evolution in great apes
A bias favoring tree-dominated habitats and ripe-fruit frugivory has persisted in great ape evolution since the early Miocene. This bias is indicated by fossil ape paleoenvironments, molar morphology, dental microwear, the geographic pattern of extinctions, and extant apes’ reliance on wooded settings. The ephemeral aspect of high-quality fruit has placed a premium on cognitive and […]
Managing the Socialization of an Adult Male Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) With a History of Social Deprivation
Most non-human primates exhibit aggression during changes in social group composition. In zoological parks, group membership changes are necessary for optimal population management, but can elicit problematic aggression. Furthermore, some primates with a long history of social deprivation are hyperaggressive when introduced to conspecifics. In this study of one male gorilla with a 30-year history […]
Ladder Use and Clubbing by a Bonobo (Pan paniscus) in Apenheul Primate Park
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.10064.abs Two types of tool use were shown by a captive bonobo (Pan paniscus) in a large outdoor enclosure at Apenheul Primate Park in The Netherlands. A wild-born young adult female (estimated to be 9 years old) used fallen branches as ladders to bypass protective sheaths to gain access to trees. Later she used […]
Chimpocentrism revisited
A review of The Mentalities of Gorillas and Orangutans: Comparative Perspectives, edited by S.T. Parker, R.W. Mitchell, and H.L. Miles. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999, 419 pp., $85 hardbound.
Videotapes as enrichment for captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)
Abstract 10.1002/1098-2361(2000)19:63.3.CO;2-V The effectiveness of showing videotapes to captive chimpanzees as an environmental enrichment was quantitatively tested. The responses of 10 subjects (3 adult males and 7 adult females) to videotapes of chimpanzees engaging in a variety of behaviors, to videotapes of other animals and humans, and to television programs were compared. Data collection consisted […]
Advanced age influences chimpanzee behavior in small social groups
Abstract 10.1002/1098-2361(2000)19:23.3.CO;2-X Management strategies for captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) must begin to take into account the increasing age of the captive chimpanzee population. This study represents a baseline assessment of the relationship between advancing age and behavior among male and female chimpanzees living in pairs and trios in indoor/outdoor runs. Data collected on 14 old […]