Chimpanzee

Relationships between captive chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) welfare and voluntary participation in behavioural studies

Voluntary participation in behavioural studies offers several scientific, management, and welfare benefits to non-human primates (NHPs). Aside from the scientific benefit of increased understanding of NHP cognition, sociality, and behaviour derived from noninvasive behavioural studies, participation itself has the potential...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Animal TrainingAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Neal Webb, S. J., Hau, J., Schapiro, S. J. et al. 2019. Relationships between captive chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) welfare and voluntary participation in behavioural studies. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 214, 102-109.

Does group size matter? Captive chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) behavior as a function of group size and composition

The National Institutes of Health and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums recommend that captive chimpanzees be housed in multi‐male, multi‐female, age‐diverse groups of no less than seven individuals. These recommendations are rooted in the idea that captive chimpanzee groups...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Webb, S. J. N., Hau, J., Schapiro, S. J. 2019. Does group size matter? Captive chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) behavior as a function of group size and composition. American Journal of Primatology 81(1), e22947.

Refinements to captive chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) care: a self-medication paradigm

In an effort to enhance welfare, behavioural management continually refines methods of non-human primate (NHP) care. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are one of the most cognitively complex captive NHPs and they have been observed to self-medicate in the wild. The population...

Year Published: 2018Topics: AnalgesiaAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Webb, S. J. N., Hau, J., Schapiro, S. J. 2018. Refinements to captive chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) care: a self-medication paradigm. Animal Welfare 27(4), 327-341.

A comparison of activity patterns of captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) housed in primadomes™ or corrals

Primadomes™ and corrals, two types of housing options available to captive chimpanzees, differ in several physical features, including closed (primadomes™) or open (corrals) tops, mesh (primadomes™) or concrete (corrals) walls, and available space per animal (142 ft2/individual in primadomes™; 516...

Year Published: 2018Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Neal Webb, S. J., Hau, J., Schapiro, S. J. 2018. A comparison of activity patterns of captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) housed in primadomes™ or corrals. American Journal of Primatology 80(S1), 45-46 (40th Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists Scientific Program, Abstract #141).

Welfare measures for laboratory chimpanzees in the United States

Behavioral assessment is an essential element of chimpanzee care. Behavioral data were compiled from four chimpanzee laboratory facilities (N = 522; 286 females, 236 males) using differing methods of assessment including quantitative data collection, animal records and observations by behavioral...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Bloomsmith, M. A., Lambeth, S., Lutz, C. et al. 2018. Welfare measures for laboratory chimpanzees in the United States. American Journal of Primatology 80(S1), 46-47 (40th Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists Scientific Program, Abstract #145).

Validating WelfareTrak® as a tool to improve the welfare of individual chimpanzees

WelfareTrak® is a web application that gives animal care specialists the opportunity to complete weekly species‐specific surveys to monitor positive and negative indicators of welfare for individual animals. WelfareTrak® generates reports and “flags” potential shifts in welfare status. The goal...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Hall, K., Bryant, J., Whitham, J. et al. 2018. Validating WelfareTrak® as a tool to improve the welfare of individual chimpanzees. American Journal of Primatology 80(S1), 33 (40th Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists Scientific Program, Abstract #68).

Mymou: A low-cost, wireless touchscreen system for automated training of nonhuman primates

Training nonhuman primates (NHPs) to perform cognitive tasks is essential for many neuroscientific investigations, yet laboratory training is a time-consuming process with inherent limitations. Habituating NHPs to the laboratory staff and experimental equipment can take months before NHPs are ready...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Animal TrainingAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Chimpanzee, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Butler, J. L., Kennerley, S. W. 2019. Mymou: A low-cost, wireless touchscreen system for automated training of nonhuman primates. Behaviour Research Methods 51, 2559–2572.

Increasing captive chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) engagement with multi-step cognitive enrichment

Environmental enrichment enhances the psychological well‐being of animals and is therefore a vital part of the husbandry of captive animals. Since chimpanzees are a cognitively complex species, they may especially benefit from enrichment programs that focus on cognitive engagement. We...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Cornelius, N., Enstam‐Jaffe, K. Minier, D. et al., 2018. Increasing captive chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) engagement with multi-step cognitive enrichment. American Journal of Primatology 80(S1), 19 (40th Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists Scientific Program, Abstract #23).

Management of weight and body condition for captive adult and aging chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

With the goal of finding a practical way to improve and/or maintain the body condition of overweight chimpanzees to promote health and welfare, several feeding protocols' effects on chimpanzee body condition scores (BCS) were evaluated. BCS were assessed at the...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Clay, A. W., Crane, M., Merino, R. et al. 2018. Management of weight and body condition for captive adult and aging chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). American Journal of Primatology 80(S1), 33 (40th Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists Scientific Program, Abstract #66).

Chimpanzees with positive welfare are happier, extraverted, and emotionally stable

Facilities housing captive animals are full of staff who, every day, interact with the animals under their care. The expertise and familiarity of staff can be used to monitor animal welfare by means of questionnaires. It was the goal of...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Robinson, L. M., Altschul, D. M., Wallace, E. K. et al. 2017. Chimpanzees with positive welfare are happier, extraverted, and emotionally stable. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 191, 90-97.