Natural Behavior

A semi-natural habitat for housing small, nonhuman primates

A semi-natural habitat that was designed to house a group of squirrel monkeys is described. Animals maintained in this environment were healthy, and none of the animals exhibited locomotor stereotypies. This facility was easier and more economical to maintain than...

Year Published: 1993Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Capuchin, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Marriott, B. M., Marriott, R. W., Norris, J. et al. 1993. A semi-natural habitat for housing small, nonhuman primates. Journal of Medical Primatology 22, 348-354.

Caged stumptailed macaques voluntarily work for ordinary food

Ninety-nine of the biscuits were placed in a freely accessible dish attached to the mesh of the front of the cage. Thirty-three biscuits were offered in a food puzzle. Twenty-five percent (4/16) of the subjects ignored the food puzzle during...

Year Published: 1994Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & Management, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: O'Connor, E., Reinhardt, V. 1994. Caged stumptailed macaques voluntarily work for ordinary food. In Touch 1(1), 10-11.

Caged rhesus macaques voluntarily work for ordinary food

Eight single-caged adult rhesus macaques were given the choice of freely collecting their standard food ration, i.e. 33 biscuits, from an ordinary food box or working for its retrieval from a custom- made food puzzle. During a one-hour observation session...

Year Published: 1994Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & Management, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Reinhardt, V. 1994. Caged rhesus macaques voluntarily work for ordinary food. Primates 35, 95-98.

The formation of a captive squirrel monkey group

It is important that all females of a new [heterosexual] group are related to each other, that is, that they come from the same natal group. The introduction of unfamiliar females to a small group with several females can result...

Year Published: 1997Topics: Natural Behavior, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Nonhuman Primate, Squirrel Monkey

Citation: Vermeer, J. 1997. The formation of a captive squirrel monkey group. International Zoo News 44, 146-149.

Power for captive animals – Contingencies and nature

Some of the examples provided here serve to illustrate that being able to maintain some control, even over limited aspects of their environment, is also of critical importance to nonhuman primates.

Year Published: 1998Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Markowitz, H. , Aday, C. 1998. Power for captive animals - Contingencies and nature. In: Second Nature - Environmental Enrichment for Captive Animals. Shepherdson, D. H., Mellen, J. D., Hutchins, M. (eds), 47-58. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC.

Promoting species typical behavior in Coquerel’s sifakas (Propithecus Verreauxi Coquereli)

The sifakas rarely were observed on the ground, preferring to locomote on vertical substrates and rest on vertical and horizontal elevated substrates in all four size categories. Therefore, if vertical surfaces were absent from captive habitats, these rare lemurs could...

Year Published: 1998Topics: Housing, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Taylor, L. L. 1998. Promoting species typical behavior in Coquerel's sifakas (Propithecus Verreauxi Coquereli). American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) Regional Conference Proceedings, 599-603.

Environmental enrichment: Evaluation of the behavioural modifications in the presence of four kinds of litter in Cebus capucinus

A captive group of white-faced capuchins, Cebus capucinus, was presented with four deep litters in simultaneous choice (or preference) tests. A floor covering of ground corn cob, woodchips, wood wool or peat was presented once in each quarter of the...

Year Published: 1999Topics: Husbandry & Management, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Capuchin, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Ludes-Fraulob, E. 1999. Environmental enrichment: Evaluation of the behavioural modifications in the presence of four kinds of litter in Cebus capucinus. Primatologie 2, 435-448. [French text with English summary]

The management and husbandry of Geoffroy’s marmoset

A survey of selected enrichment programs for group-housed marmosets. Older individuals ... appear to habituate themselves less to the presence of visitors, and get very agitated when approached. ... High perches should be provided to give animals vantage points from...

Year Published: 1999Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & Management, Natural Behavior, Rearing & Weaning, Reproduction, VocalizationAnimal Type: Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Wakenshaw, V. 1999. The management and husbandry of Geoffroy's marmoset. International Zoo News 46(1), 3-15.

What does a chimpanzee need? Using natural behavior to guide the care and management of captive populations

Their tendency toward natural behavior is probably little changed from their wild counterparts, despite the overwhelming influence of captivity on behavior... From a chimpanzee's point of view, it would be better to stimulate behavior characteristics of the natural environment of...

Year Published: 2001Topics: Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Pruetz, J. D. E., McGrew, W. C. 2001. What does a chimpanzee need? Using natural behavior to guide the care and management of captive populations. In: Special Topics in Primatology, volume 2. The Care and Management of Captive Chimpanzees. Brent, L. (Ed.). The American Society of Primatologists: San Antonio, TX, 16-37.

A comparison of the activity budgets of wild and captive Sulawesi crested black macaques (Macaca nigra)

One aim of environmental enrichment techniques is to replicate 'wild-like' behaviour in captivity. In this study. three captive troops of Sulawesi crested black macaques (Macaca nigra) were each observed for 100 h in large naturalistic enclosures. Activity budgets constructed from...

Year Published: 2002Topics: Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Melfi, V. A., Feistner, A. T. C. 2002. A comparison of the activity budgets of wild and captive Sulawesi crested black macaques (Macaca nigra). Animal Welfare 11(2), 213-222.