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Animals
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Primate Behavioral, Psychological, and Affective Research in Non-Laboratory Settings
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Primate Behavioral, Psychological, and Affective Research in Non-Laboratory Settings

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Wildlife".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 May 2023) | Viewed by 19336

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Stacy Lopresti-Goodman

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, Marymount University, Arlington, VA 22207, USA
Interests: non-human primates; animal behavior; psychopathology; animal welfare; alternatives to animals in science education

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Research has provided us with an increased understanding of how similar human and nonhuman primates are with regard to our behavioral, psychological, and affective capabilities and needs. This knowledge has prompted concerns about the use of nonhuman primates in laboratory research where their welfare may be compromised. However, robust research programs outside of the laboratory, using non-invasive methods, continue to provide important insights into the lives of nonhuman primates.

Original manuscripts that address behavioral, psychological, and affective research in nonhuman primates in settings other than laboratories, such as in sanctuaries or the wild, are invited for this special issue. In particular, comprehensive reviews and research articles using observational, survey, and non-coercive experimental methods, are encouraged for submission.

Dr. Stacy Lopresti-Goodman
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • nonhuman primates
  • behavior
  • psychology
  • emotion
  • welfare
  • sanctuaries
  • field research

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 459 KiB  
Article
Sign Language Studies with Chimpanzees in Sanctuary
by Mary Lee Jensvold, Kailie Dombrausky and Emily Collins
Animals 2023, 13(22), 3486; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13223486 - 11 Nov 2023
Viewed by 2639
Abstract
Adult chimpanzees Tatu and Loulis lived at the Fauna Foundation sanctuary. They had acquired signs of American Sign Language (ASL) while young and continued to use them as adults. Caregivers with proficiency in ASL maintained daily sign language records during interactions and passive [...] Read more.
Adult chimpanzees Tatu and Loulis lived at the Fauna Foundation sanctuary. They had acquired signs of American Sign Language (ASL) while young and continued to use them as adults. Caregivers with proficiency in ASL maintained daily sign language records during interactions and passive observation. Sign checklists were records of daily vocabulary use. Sign logs were records of signed interactions with caregivers and other chimpanzees. This study reports sign use from eight years of these records. Tatu and Loulis used a majority of their base vocabularies consistently over the study period. They used signs that they had acquired decades earlier and new signs. Their utterances served a variety of communicative functions, including responses, conversational devices, requests, and descriptions. They signed to caregivers, other chimpanzees, including those who did not use signs, and to themselves privately. This indicates the importance of a stimulating and interactive environment to understand the scope of ape communication and, in particular, their use of sign language. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Primate Behavioral, Psychological, and Affective Research in Non-Laboratory Settings)
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34 pages, 6352 KiB  
Article
Behavioral Welfare Research for the Management of Sanctuary Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)
by Amy Fultz, Rebekah Lewis, Liam Kelly and Jordan Garbarino
Animals 2023, 13(16), 2595; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13162595 - 11 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2579
Abstract
Chimp Haven is a sanctuary for chimpanzees retired from biomedical research, rescued from the pet trade, or re-homed after other organizations could no longer care for them. To provide optimal care for over 300 chimpanzees, Chimp Haven’s animal care team includes experts in [...] Read more.
Chimp Haven is a sanctuary for chimpanzees retired from biomedical research, rescued from the pet trade, or re-homed after other organizations could no longer care for them. To provide optimal care for over 300 chimpanzees, Chimp Haven’s animal care team includes experts in behavioral science, veterinary treatment, and husbandry practices. To aid these teams in making routine welfare management decisions, a system of behavioral metrics provides objective data to guide decisions and track outcomes. Chimp Haven has built and piloted seven behavioral metric protocols over the past 5 years to provide staff with an objective and comprehensive picture of the chimpanzees’ behavioral welfare. The data from behavioral observations, staff surveys, and routine staff documentation are analyzed and processed through Google Forms, ZooMonitor, Microsoft Power Bi, Microsoft Excel, and R. Each metric assists staff in making data-based decisions regarding the management of captive chimpanzees related to abnormal behavior, hair loss, wounding, social relationships, positive reinforcement training and overall wellness. In this article, we explore examples of each metric and how they have been utilized to monitor and make decisions for both social groups of chimpanzees as well as individuals. These metrics can be collected and shared easily in an understandable format, which may provide an important framework for others to follow to enable the tracking of welfare for other sanctuaries, non-human primates, as well as other species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Primate Behavioral, Psychological, and Affective Research in Non-Laboratory Settings)
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24 pages, 5904 KiB  
Article
The Development of Feeding Competence in Rehabilitant Orphaned Orangutans and How to Measure It
by Signe Preuschoft, Andrew J. Marshall, Lorna Scott, Siti Nur Badriyah, Melki Deus T. Purba, Erma Yuliani, Paloma Corbi, Ishak Yassir, M. Ari Wibawanto and Elfriede Kalcher-Sommersguter
Animals 2023, 13(13), 2111; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13132111 - 26 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1441
Abstract
For critically endangered species, restorative conservation becomes increasingly important. Successful re-introduction of rescued wild orangutan orphans requires rehabilitation mimicking maternal rearing in the wild. Feeding competence—what to eat, where and when to find food—needs to be learned before re-introduction. We observed seven orphans [...] Read more.
For critically endangered species, restorative conservation becomes increasingly important. Successful re-introduction of rescued wild orangutan orphans requires rehabilitation mimicking maternal rearing in the wild. Feeding competence—what to eat, where and when to find food—needs to be learned before re-introduction. We observed seven orphans (2–10 years old) for a period of 3 years during their rehabilitation at the Yayasan Jejak Pulang forest school. Of the 111 plant genera eaten by the orphans, 92 percent were known orangutan food plants. Five plant genera were eaten by all orphans in over 90 percent of the months within the observation period. The Fruit Availability Index (FAI) was used to predict which parts of a plant were consumed by the orphans. We found that the orphans ate primarily fruit when the FAI was high, but consumed more young leaves, cambium, and pith when FAI was low. Thus, the orphans exhibited food choices very similar to mature wild orangutans and appropriate to forest productivity. The orphans’ acquisition of feeding competence was facilitated by their immersion into a natural forest environment in combination with possibilities for observational learning from conspecifics as well as caregivers modelling food processing and consumption. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Primate Behavioral, Psychological, and Affective Research in Non-Laboratory Settings)
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18 pages, 3151 KiB  
Article
How Sanctuary Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) Use Space after Being Introduced to a Large Outdoor Habitat
by Amy Fultz, Akie Yanagi, Sarah Breaux, Leilani Beaupre and Nick Naitove
Animals 2023, 13(6), 961; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13060961 - 07 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1639
Abstract
Wild chimpanzees live in large, mixed-sex groups that display a fission–fusion social organization. To provide a social environment more like that of wild chimpanzees, Chimp Haven integrated smaller groups of 3–4 individuals into one large group of 18 individuals. This large group was [...] Read more.
Wild chimpanzees live in large, mixed-sex groups that display a fission–fusion social organization. To provide a social environment more like that of wild chimpanzees, Chimp Haven integrated smaller groups of 3–4 individuals into one large group of 18 individuals. This large group was introduced to a 20,234.28 m2 forested habitat and associated indoor areas. This space was designed to allow the individual chimpanzees to choose their proximity to social companions and provide the group with a more natural environment in which they could express more species-typical behavior. The study took place over a 7-month period that began two weeks prior to the first groups being integrated and ended 4 months after the chimpanzees were released into the habitat. We collected data on the chimpanzees’ arboreal, terrestrial, indoor, and outdoor spatial use. The chimpanzees’ proximity to their nearest neighbor was also recorded, noting whether they were touching or within arm’s reach. Data were collected during daytime and nighttime hours and were utilized to make management decisions about potential group formations. We examined the data using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) with individual subjects as a random factor and months as a repeated measure for location and proximity results. There were significant differences in the use of arboreal and outside space over the 7-month time frame, with females more likely to use the arboreal space than males. The chimpanzees were more likely to utilize the habitat over time and increased their proximity to group mates. The results of this study indicate that the chimpanzees responded positively to living in large groups in a spacious naturalistic environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Primate Behavioral, Psychological, and Affective Research in Non-Laboratory Settings)
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19 pages, 1607 KiB  
Article
Long-Term Assessment of Captive Chimpanzees: Influence of Social Group Composition, Seasonality and Biographic Background
by Arnau Pascual, Elfriede Kalcher-Sommersguter, David Riba and Dietmar Crailsheim
Animals 2023, 13(3), 424; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13030424 - 26 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2130
Abstract
Wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) live in flexible fission–fusion societies with frequent changes in both group size and composition. These changes depend mostly on resource availability and individual social preferences yet in captivity are determined by housing organizations. During a period of [...] Read more.
Wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) live in flexible fission–fusion societies with frequent changes in both group size and composition. These changes depend mostly on resource availability and individual social preferences yet in captivity are determined by housing organizations. During a period of seven years, we observed a group of sanctuary chimpanzees, focusing on how they adapted to changes in the group composition over time. Using linear mixed models (LMMs), factors such as group size, sex ratio, seasonality, and the individuals’ sex and origin (wild caught vs. captive born) were considered in order to evaluate the impact on the chimpanzees’ activity levels, the occurrence of undesired behaviors (abnormal and self-directed behaviors) and the social grooming networks. Our results indicate that the activity levels and the occurrence of undesired behaviors were impacted by changes in group composition and the individuals’ biographic background. The colder season was marked by higher levels of activity and more time spent grooming. Moreover, it was the individuals’ origin but not changes in group composition that affected social grooming, with wild-caught chimpanzees grooming far less frequently. Long-term observations are essential to evaluate, predict and detect potential benefits and/or issues of housing conditions while considering the social and physical environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Primate Behavioral, Psychological, and Affective Research in Non-Laboratory Settings)
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15 pages, 1281 KiB  
Article
Evaluating Self-Directed Behaviours and Their Association with Emotional Arousal across Two Cognitive Tasks in Bonobos (Pan paniscus)
by Daan W. Laméris, Jonas Verspeek, Marina Salas, Nicky Staes, Jonas R. R. Torfs, Marcel Eens and Jeroen M. G. Stevens
Animals 2022, 12(21), 3002; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12213002 - 01 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2242
Abstract
Self-directed behaviours (SDBs) are widely used as markers of emotional arousal in primates, and are commonly linked to negative arousal, or are used as indicators of stress or poor welfare. However, recent studies suggest that not all SDBs have the same function. Moreover, [...] Read more.
Self-directed behaviours (SDBs) are widely used as markers of emotional arousal in primates, and are commonly linked to negative arousal, or are used as indicators of stress or poor welfare. However, recent studies suggest that not all SDBs have the same function. Moreover, lateralisation in the production of these behaviours has been suggested to be associated with emotional processing. Hence, a better understanding of the production and the asymmetry of these displacement behaviours is needed in a wider range of species in order to confirm their reliability as indicators of emotional arousal. In the current study, we experimentally evaluated the production and asymmetry of SDBs in zoo-housed bonobos during two cognitive touchscreen tasks. Overall, nose wipes were most commonly observed, followed by gentle self-scratches, and rough self-scratches. The rates of nose wipes and rough self-scratches increased with incorrect responses, suggesting that these behaviours indicate arousal and possibly frustration. Rough self-scratching was additionally more directed towards the left hemispace after incorrect responses. In contrast, gentle self-scratching increased after correct responses in one study, possibly linking it with positive arousal. We also tested if left-handed bonobos showed greater behavioural reactivity towards incorrect responses, but found no evidence to confirm this hypothesis. Our results shed light on potential different mechanisms behind separate SDBs. We therefore provide nuance to the use of SDBs as indicator of emotional arousal in bonobos. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Primate Behavioral, Psychological, and Affective Research in Non-Laboratory Settings)
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14 pages, 348 KiB  
Commentary
The Benefits and Challenges of Conducting Primate Research in Different Settings
by Stacy M. Lopresti-Goodman and Brandon Villatoro-Sorto
Animals 2023, 13(1), 133; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13010133 - 29 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 5429
Abstract
Internationally, primate research takes place in laboratories, zoos, sanctuaries, and the wild. All of these settings present unique advantages and challenges in terms of methodology, translatability, animal welfare, and ethics. In this novel commentary, we explore the scientific and ethical benefits and drawbacks [...] Read more.
Internationally, primate research takes place in laboratories, zoos, sanctuaries, and the wild. All of these settings present unique advantages and challenges in terms of methodology, translatability, animal welfare, and ethics. In this novel commentary, we explore the scientific and ethical benefits and drawbacks of conducting non-invasive psychological research with primates in each setting. We also suggest ways to overcome some of the barriers. We argue that while there may be greater experimental control in laboratory-based research, settings that more closely mirror primates’ natural habitats are generally better suited to meet their specialized needs. More naturalistic research settings, including field studies, may also circumvent some ethical concerns associated with research in captivity, and yield more ecologically valid data. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Primate Behavioral, Psychological, and Affective Research in Non-Laboratory Settings)
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