The Future of Artificial Intelligence in Monitoring Animal Identification, Health, and Behaviour
With many advancements, technologies are now capable of recording non-human animals’ location, heart rate, and movement, often using a device that is physically attached to the monitored animals. However, to our knowledge, there is currently no technology that is able to do this unobtrusively and non-invasively. Here, we review the history of technology for use […]
An evaluation of interactive projections as digital enrichment for orangutans
Digital technologies are increasingly being incorporated into the provision of enrichment for captive primates, ranging from the ad-hoc use of iPads to specifically designed hardware installed in the design of new exhibits. In this article, we present a digital enrichment system that utilizes a novel approach with interactive projections, installed in the orangutan exhibit at […]
Orangulas: effect of scheduled visual enrichment on behavioral and endocrine aspects of a captive orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus): effect of scheduled visual enrichment on behavioral and endocrine aspects of a captive orangutan
Captivity may have adverse effects on captive great apes, who would spend much more of their time engaged in foraging and other activities in the wild. Enrichment interventions have the potential to alleviate the adverse effects of captivity by introducing novel stimuli. In orangutans, interactive digital enrichment has proven effective at engaging users out of […]
Orangutan (Pongo) Care Manual
Orangulas: effect of scheduled visual enrichment on behavioral and endocrine aspects of a captive orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus)
Captivity may have adverse effects on captive great apes, who would spend much more of their time engaged in foraging and other activities in the wild. Enrichment interventions have the potential to alleviate the adverse effects of captivity by introducing novel stimuli. In orangutans, interactive digital enrichment has proven effective at engaging users out of […]
Nesting, sleeping, and nighttime behaviors in wild and captive great apes
The past few decades have seen a burgeoning of scientific studies on great apes’ use of nests for sleeping in the wild, as well as their nesting behavior and sleep in captivity. We review recent advances in knowledge of these topics, with the aim of promoting information exchange between people working in the field and […]
Personality in the behaviour of great apes: temporal stability, cross-situational consistency and coherence in response
Using a multidisciplinary approach, the present study complements ethological behaviour measurements with basic theoretical concepts, methods and approaches of the personality psychological trait paradigm. Its adoptability and usefulness for animal studies are tested exemplarily on a sample of 20 zoo-housed great apes (five of each of the following species): bonobos, Pan paniscus; chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes […]
The prevalence of osteoarthritis in wild versus captive great ape skeletons
This research examined whether the prevalence and skeletal distribution of osteoarthritis (OA) differed between wild and captive great ape skeletons. A secondary, but important, aspect of this research focused on the development of improved aging techniques based on methods commonly used on human osteological samples. Tests were conducted pertaining to the effect that wild versus […]
Understanding visual barriers: evidence for Level 1 perspective taking in an orang-utan, Pongo pygmaeus
An adult female orang-utan used an untutored series of physical manipulations to guide humans to food placed beyond her reach. Through a series of experiments that involved different visual occlusions, this orang-utan appeared to take into account humans’ visual states when using them to retrieve inaccessible goals. These data suggest that she was able to […]
Pathology and diseases of great apes at the National Zoological Park
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430090204.abs Knowledge of the diseases of great apes in captivity is essential for captive management of self-sustaining populations. This survey of medical and pathology records of orangutans, gorillas, and one chimpanzee at the National Zoological Park was conducted to provide a data base for improving health care of captive apes. Strongyloidiasis, balantidiasis, and entamoebiasis […]