Hematological changes in vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops) during eight months' adaptation to captivity (2007)

Kagira, J. M., Ngotho, M., Thuita, J. K. et al.

Abstract

This study investigated fluctuations in hematological values of 50 wild-caught vervet monkeys (African green monkeys, grivets, Chlorocebus aethiops) during habituation to captivity. There was an increase in most of the erythrocyte parameters studied during the monitoring period with the most significant being hemoglobin, hematocrit, and mean corpuscular volume. However, the red cell distribution widths, which were higher in adult females, declined...The maintenance of the monkeys on an improved stable diet and in environment-controlled housing combined with progressing psycho-physiological adaptation may be important factors for the gradual improvements of the hematological values recorded. There were wide variations in these between individual animals emphasizing the need for long adaptation combined with establishment of individual baseline values before experimental studies.