Environmental Enrichment

Providing enrichment at no cost

Green pine cones can cause severe diarrhea. Keepers should work only with old, opened-up pinecones. Hamadryas baboons, and mandrills will play with them, and they can be stuffed with food supplements such as peanut butter or honey, or just used...

Year Published: 1997Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Baboon, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Tresz, H. 1997. Providing enrichment at no cost. The Shape of Enrichment 6(4), 1-4.

Utilization of a sensory diet approach for enrichment and mitigation of abnormal behaviors in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

Treatment consisted of stimulation of the tactile senses through use of various paper media, a combing/brushing schedule and muscle pressure techniques. A reduction in the rate of coprophagive events was observed.

Year Published: 1997Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Struthers, E. J., Harvey, H., Walden, S. 1997. Utilization of a sensory diet approach for enrichment and mitigation of abnormal behaviors in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). American Journal of Primatology 42, 151 (Abstract).

Effect of environmental enrichment devices on behaviors of single- and group-housed squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus)

This would suggest that enrichment provided by social interaction ... may play a greater role in maintaining the monkeys' psychological well-being than did physical enrichment devices.

Year Published: 1997Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Nonhuman Primate, Squirrel Monkey

Citation: Spring S. E., Clifford, J. O., Tomko, D. L. 1997. Effect of environmental enrichment devices on behaviors of single- and group-housed squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus). Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 36(3), 72-75.

Understanding the relationship between environment and reproduction in captive animals: The role of environmental enrichment

A general discussion of the relationship between environmental enrichment and reproduction.

Year Published: 1997Topics: Environmental Enrichment, ReproductionAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Shepherdson, D. , Carlstead, K. 1997. Understanding the relationship between environment and reproduction in captive animals: The role of environmental enrichment. In: Proceedings on the International Conference on Environmental Enrichment. Holst, B. (ed), 218-230. Copenhagen Zoo, Frederiksberg, DK.

Effective and inexpensive environmental enrichment for nonhuman primates

An effective enrichment program will produce contented primates -- human and nonhuman alike -- and will improve the quality of the data collected because contented animals are more species-typical and show no psychological or physiological abnormalities. Hence, environmental enrichment is...

Year Published: 1997Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Seelig, D. 1997. Effective and inexpensive environmental enrichment for nonhuman primates. Massachusetts Society for Medical Research (MSMR) News(Fall), 6-10.

Why enrichment needs science behind it: Addressing disturbance-related behavior as an example

The scientific evaluation of environmental enrichment might be promoted by using a variety of scientific theories as a framework for understanding enrichment.

Year Published: 1998Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Bloomsmith, M. A. , Maple, T. L. 1998. Why enrichment needs science behind it: Addressing disturbance-related behavior as an example. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Environmental Enrichment. Hare, V. J. , Worley, E. (eds), 28-31. The Shape of Enrichment, San Diego, CA.

Catering to caterrhines: Food enrichment at the University of Washington’s Regional Primate Research Center

As simple and relatively inexpensive form of enrichment each animal received a treat (e.g., fruit, vegetable, exposure to foraging device) on 4 days per week. This costs about $0.50 per macaque or baboon per week.

Year Published: 1998Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Baboon, Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Bellanca, R. U., Crockett, C. M., Johnson-Delaney, C. et al. 1998. Catering to caterrhines: Food enrichment at the University of Washington's Regional Primate Research Center. American Journal of Primatology 45, 167-168 (Abstract).

Effects of experience and environment on the developing and mature brain: Implications of laboratory animal housing

Immune system function appears to be enhanced in environmentally enriched rats relative to controls housed in standard cages.

Year Published: 1998Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Benefiel, A. C., Greenough, W. T. 1998. Effects of experience and environment on the developing and mature brain: Implications of laboratory animal housing. ILAR Journal 39(1), 5-11.

Outdoor access: The behavioral benefits to chimpanzees

When compared to the results of ameliorative environmental enrichment techniques furnished to the indoor-housed subjects, the small outdoor groups of [two or three] chimpanzees showed broader and more dramatic improvements in well-being. Animals with outdoor access showed significantly less abnormal...

Year Published: 1998Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Baker, K. C., Ross, S. K. 1998. Outdoor access: The behavioral benefits to chimpanzees. American Journal of Primatology 45, 166 (Abstract).

A veterinary perspective of potential risk factors in environmental enrichment

Discussion of potential risk factors of environmental enrichment strategies.

Year Published: 1998Topics: Environmental Enrichment

Citation: Baer, J. R. 1998. A veterinary perspective of potential risk factors in environmental enrichment. In: Second Nature - Environmental Enrichment for Captive Animals. Shepherdson, D. H., Mellen, J. D., Hutchins, M. (eds), 277-301. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC.