Nonhuman Primate

The importance of novel and cognitive enrichment for captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and the use of activity budgets and social network analysis to assess welfare (2025)

I introduced foraging enrichment with a cognitive component to a group of six captive adult chimpanzees living at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in Dunstable in the United Kingdom. I conducted preliminary behavioural observations for 13 days spread over a four week...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Stitt, A. E. 2025. The importance of novel and cognitive enrichment for captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and the use of activity budgets and social network analysis to assess welfare. Canopy 25(2).

Advancing non-human primate welfare: An automated facial recognition system for unrestrained cynomolgus monkeys (2025)

Cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) are vital in biomedical research, particularly for drug development and studying neurological diseases. However, accurately identifying individuals in group housing environments remains a significant challenge. This paper presents a near real-time facial recognition system tailored for...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Identification MethodAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Numata, Y., Sumali, B., Hayashida, K. et al. 2025. Advancing non-human primate welfare: An automated facial recognition system for unrestrained cynomolgus monkeys. PLOS ONE 20(4), e0319897.

Social enrichment to reduce pacing in a solitary housed male lion-tailed macaque Macaca silenus (2025)

Environmental enrichment is frequently used to improve the captive environment, aiming to enhance the quality of captive animal care. Social enrichment is considered to be the most effective form of enrichment for captive primates, particularly in the reduction of abnormal...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Newman, R., Quirke, T., McKeown, S. et al. 2025. Social enrichment to reduce pacing in a solitary housed male lion-tailed macaque Macaca silenus. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research 13(1), 52–55.

A metric-based, meta-analytic appraisal of environmental enrichment efficacy in captive primates (2025)

Non-human primates (hereafter ‘primates') constitute a common group of animals in captivity but their captive maintenance involves ethical and husbandry issues, many of which can be addressed through environmental enrichment (hereafter ‘enrichment'). Enrichment is often applied in a trial-and-error fashion...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Chimpanzee, Gibbon, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Duncan, L. M., Pillay, N. 2025. A metric-based, meta-analytic appraisal of environmental enrichment efficacy in captive primates. Animals 15(6), 799.

Home-cage training for non-human primates: an opportunity to reduce stress and study natural behavior in neurophysiology experiments (2025)

Research involving non-human primates remains a cornerstone in fields such as biomedical research and systems neuroscience. However, the daily routines of laboratory work can induce stress in these animals, potentially compromising their well-being and the reliability of experimental outcomes. To...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Animal TrainingAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Chimpanzee, Gibbon, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Ceccarelli, F., Londei, F., Arena, G. et al. 2025. Home-Cage Training for Non-Human Primates: An Opportunity to Reduce Stress and Study Natural Behavior in Neurophysiology Experiments. Animals 15(9), 1340.

A systematic review of the effects of musical enrichment on captive mammals (2025)

Forty two studies examining physiological, behavioural and cognitive mammalian responses to music were identified, with 38.1% of those studies focusing on primates. The studies identified included 23 mammalian species across six animal orders (Artiodactyla, Carnivora, Perissodactyla, Primates, Proboscidea and Rodentia)....

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Cat, Chimpanzee, Chinchilla, Dog, Gerbil, Gibbon, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Mole Rat, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Other Rodent, Owl Monkey, Rat, Rodent, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Alkalaj, M. 2025. A systematic review of the effects of musical enrichment on captive mammals. Canopy 25(2).

Long term impacts of early social environment on chimpanzee white matter

Early adverse rearing conditions are known to have deleterious consequences on social behavior, cognition, and brain development of both human and nonhuman primates. We analyzed archival diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data from mother- (MR) or nursery-reared (NR) chimpanzees and used...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Mulholland, M. M., Hecht, E., Wesley, M. J. et al. 2024. Long term impacts of early social environment on chimpanzee white matter. Scientific Reports 14(1), 29879.

Update on current hormonal and non-hormonal contraceptive options in non-human primates

Reproductive success in captive non-human primates (NHPs) has increased the demand for safe, effective, and reversible population control methods. This review provides an overview of the current literature on hormonal and non-hormonal contraceptives as reproductive control methods in NHPs. Where...

Year Published: 2024Topics: ReproductionAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Nederlof, R. A., Bruins-van Sonsbeek, L. G. R., Stumpel, J. B. G. et al. 2024. Update on current hormonal and non-hormonal contraceptive options in non-human primates. Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens 5(4), 606–629.

Specifically unspecific – Simple devices as feasible and effective enrichment for small mammals

Although enrichment is an essential part of modern zoo animal husbandry, research on effective enrichment for small mammals is scarce, albeit they are regularly kept in zoos. To develop solutions that are inexpensive, readily applicable, and adaptable for a variety...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Nonhuman Primate, Other Animal, Other Nonhuman Primate, Other Rodent, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Göbel, M., Kaiser, S., Richter, H. et al. 2024. Specifically unspecific – Simple devices as feasible and effective enrichment for small mammals. Animal Behavior and Cognition 11(3), 305–329.

Enriched social environment affects the utterance of acoustic signals of captive François’ langurs

Vocal communication serves as an important mode of interaction among animals. The quantitative analysis of acoustic signals holds scientific value in highlighting the importance of understanding the social-ecological contexts and their effects on acoustic communication. The results can provide a...

Year Published: 2024Topics: VocalizationAnimal Type: Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Xie, Y., Liu, Y., Li, Y. et al. 2024. Enriched social environment affects the utterance of acoustic signals of captive François' langurs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 277, 106351.