Retrospective study of morbidity and mortality of captive African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) held within United Kingdom Zoological Institutions between 2000 and 2020
The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) is listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and is part of captive breeding programs designed to support free-living populations and genetic diversity. This study’s aim was to identify common causes of morbidity and mortality objectively in United Kingdom captive African wild dogs to inform […]
Allostatic Load Index Effectively Measures Chronic Stress Status in Zoo-Housed Giraffes
For giraffes, few standardized methods exist for quantifying chronic stress. Allostatic load index is quantified from a panel of multi-system stress biomarkers to estimate cumulative stress. Our objective was to determine whether a panel of biomarkers selected for their role in allostatic load would reflect the number of documented stress events experienced by giraffes. Cortisol, […]
Comparing Predictors and Outcomes of Higher Allostatic Load across Zoo-Housed African Great Apes
Stressors over the lifespan can contribute to physiological dysregulation, or allostatic load. Allostatic load has been studied in humans using allostatic load indices (ALIs) for over 25 years, but the same methods are rarely applied to other species. We constructed an ALI for zoo-housed western lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos and tested potential predictors of […]
Social Housing of Previously Single-caged Macaques: What are the Options and the Risks?
A review of the scientif c literature gives evidence that transferring previously single-caged adult macaques to permanent compatible pair-housing arrangements (isosexual pairs, adult/infant pairs) is associated with less risk of injury and morbidity than transferring them to permanent group-housing arrangements. Juvenile animals can readily be transferred to permanent group-housing situations without undue risks. Safe pairformation […]
Responses of Chimpanzees to a Recently Dead Community Member at Gombe National Park, Tanzania
Chimpanzee responses to the death of a group member have rarely been observed in the wild and most instances involve infant deaths. One of the very few detailed accounts of a group’s response to the death of an adult community member is from Gombe National Park, Tanzania, where Teleki [Folia Primatologica 20:81–94, 1973] observed the […]
Negative affective states and their effects on morbidity, mortality and longevity
Mortality rates are often used in population-level animal welfare assessments because they are assumed to reflect rates of disease or injury and other problems likely to cause poor welfare. High mortality is thus assumed to correlate with factors likely to cause negative affective states. Here, we argue that negative affective states are also related to […]
Personality as a Predictor of General Health in Captive Golden Snub-Nosed Monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana)
Increasing studies in human and animals have shown that personality is related to biological profile and affects health outcomes. Understanding the link between personality and health will contribute to preventing illness and promoting well-being in non-human primates. The present study examined whether personality predicted health outcomes in captive golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana). Personality was […]
Risk Factor Analysis May Provide Clues to Diarrhea Prevention in Outdoor-Housed Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta)
Seventy-five percent of rhesus macaques at national primate research centers are housed outside. Annually, 15–39% of these animals experience diarrhea and require veterinary treatment for dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, or weight loss. An estimated 21–33% of these patients will die or be euthanized. Many studies have explored the various infectious etiologies of non-human primate diarrhea. However, […]