Utility of immune measures for evaluating psychological well-being in nonhuman primates
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430080510.abs Changes in immune measures have traditionally been recognized as an important component of the body’s stress response. Since alterations in immunity occur reliably after psychological disturbance, it is possible to use variation in immune responses as a means to evaluate the effect of animal husbandry and research manipulations on psychological well-being. Our studies […]
The impact of moving to a novel environment on social networks, activity and wellbeing in two new world primates
Abstract Among the stressors that can affect animal welfare in zoos, the immediate effect of relocation to a novel environment is one that has received little attention in the literature. Here, we compare the social network, daily activity and the expression of stress-related behavior in capuchins (Cebus apella) and squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) before and […]
Attention to combined attention in New World monkeys (Cebus apella, Saimiri sciureus)
Co-orientation by capuchin (Cebus apella) and squirrel (Saimiri sciureus) monkeys in response to familiar humans abruptly switching the direction of their visual attention was recorded. Co-orientation occurred more frequently overall in capuchins than squirrel monkeys. Capuchins showed a tendency to habituate within trials involving consecutive attention switches performed by 2 different people, whereas squirrel monkeys […]
Positive Reinforcement Training in Squirrel Monkeys Using Clicker Training
Nonhuman primates in research environments experience regular stressors that have the potential to alter physiology and brain function, which in turn can confound some types of research studies. Operant conditioning techniques such as positive reinforcement training (PRT), which teaches animals to voluntarily perform desired behaviors, can be applied to improve behavior and reactivity. PRT has […]
Cross-Modal Representation of Human Caretakers in Squirrel Monkeys
We tested whether squirrel monkeys have cross-modal representations of their human caretakers with a 0-delay symbolic matching-to-sample procedure. We first trained the monkeys to match photographs of two of their caretakers. After reaching criterion, they were exposed to two test sessions. In these sessions 32 all-reinforced test trials were interspersed among the training trials. In […]
Exploration and social play in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri)
Squirrel monkeys (Saimiri) have been studied in a variety of laboratory and natural environments. The frequency and form of exploration and social play vary considerably among different environments. For example, in some environments, young monkeys have been observed to play for 3 hr per day; but in one natural environment, not a single bout of […]
A Comparison of Positive Reinforcement Training Techniques in Owl and Squirrel Monkeys: Time Required to Train to Reliability
Positive reinforcement training (PRT) techniques enhance the psychological well being of nonhuman primates by increasing the animal’s control over his or her environment and desensitizing the animal to stressful stimuli. However, the literature on PRT in neotropical primates is limited. Here PRT data from owl monkeys and squirrel monkeys are presented, including the length of […]
Effects of Single-Use and Group-Use Enrichment on Stereotypy and Intragroup Aggressive and Affiliative Behaviors of a Social Group of Squirrel Monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) at the Singapore Zoo
Four food-based enrichment devices were used to test the effects of single-use and group-use enrichment devices on stereotypy, intragroup aggression, and affiliation in a compatible group of 5 squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus). All enrichment devices were found to reduce overall stereotypic behavior from baseline levels (without enrichment). The occurrence of stereotypic behavior differed between individual […]