Captivity and habituation to humans raise curiosity in vervet monkeys
Looking for Visitor’s Effect in Sanctuaries: Implications of Guided Visitor Groups on the Behavior of the Chimpanzees at Fundació Mona
The question of ‘if and how captive primates are affected by visitors’ has gained increasing attention over the last decades. Although the majority reported undesirable effects on behavior and wellbeing, many studies reported contradicting results. Most of these studies were conducted at zoos, typically with little or no control over visitors’ actions. Yet little is […]
Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) responses to caregiver use of chimpanzee behaviors
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20194.abs The relationships between captive primates and their caregivers are critical ones and can affect animal welfare. Friendly relationships can improve quality of life; adversely, agonistic relationships can decrease quality of life. Caregivers in and of themselves should not be stressful to their charges, instead the caregivers’ behaviors and the nature of their interactions […]
Effects of positive interaction with caretakers on the behaviour of socially housed common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)
Every aspect of the life of the captive non-human primates should be carefully attended to, as updated refinement concept recommends. Interaction with humans as environmental enrichment for these animals is believed to be of value, but it has been subject to little quantitative evaluation. This study investigates the effects of positive interaction with humans on […]
Human interaction and cortisol: Can human contact reduce stress for shelter dogs?
Animal shelters are an extremely stressful environment for a dog, most specifically due to social isolation and novel surroundings. The stress response of dogs housed in this environment may be alleviated through human interaction shortly after arrival. During their second day in a public animal shelter, adult stray dogs were either engaged in a human […]
Benefits of positive human interaction for socially housed chimpanzees
Human interaction as environmental enrichment for chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and other primates is widely promoted and believed to be of value, but has been subject to little objective evaluation. This study assessed the effects of positive human interaction (eg relaxed treat feeding, playing, and other forms of social interaction compatible with personnel safety) on the […]
Positive reinforcement training as enrichment for singly housed rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)
Positive reinforcement training is one component of behavioural management employed to improve psychological well-being. There has been regulatory promotion to compensate for restricted social housing in part by providing human interaction to singly caged primates, implying an efficacy standard for evaluating human interaction. The effect of positive reinforcement training on the behaviour of 61 singly […]
Benefits of training/playing therapy in a group of captive lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)
Animal well-being and enrichment continue to gain importance in the maintenance of primates living in captivity. Positive reinforcement training (PRT) and/or playing interaction have been shown to be effective in improving the well-being of several species of primates. This research study evaluated the effects of applying a combination of these two techniques (training/playing therapy) on […]
Human interaction moderates plasma cortisol and behavioral responses of dogs to shelter housing
Abstract Housing in an animal shelter is a stressful experience for dogs. This study examined the effects of different forms of human interaction on concentrations of circulating cortisol and stress-related behaviors of dogs within 40 h of admittance to a county animal shelter. Blood samples were collected before and after 30-min sessions in a secluded […]
Using hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal measures for assessing and reducing the stress of dogs in shelters: A review
Dogs admitted to animal shelters exhibit behavioral and physiological signs of stress. Among these is activation of the body’s primary stress-responsive system, the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. HPA activity provides a metric for assessing both the dog’s physiological response to the shelter as well as the effectiveness of attempts to reduce this response. Glucocorticoid measures of […]