Environmental complexity and feeding enrichment can mitigate effects of space constraints in captive callitrichids

Abstract

Non-human primates housed in zoos and laboratories often exhibit reduced activity and this poses welfare concerns. We examined the effects of enclosure types of differing size and environmental complexity on the activities of two species of callitrichids. We found that cotton-top tamarins housed in an enclosure of larger size and more environmental complexity showed higher activity levels, which was mainly contributed by more feeding/foraging activity. By contrast, Goeldi's monkeys housed in an enclosure of larger size and more environmental complexity showed lower activity levels, which was mainly contributed by less locomotory activity. In both species, off-exhibit groups housed in smaller enclosures did not show significantly less locomotory activity which would have been expected, as larger availability spaces should allow more opportunities for locomotion. Furthermore, the feeding enrichment had significant effects on increased feeding/foraging activity for both cotton-top tamarins and Goeldi's monkeys, irrespective of enclosure type. These results suggested that environmental complexity (or application of feeding enrichment) that provided more opportunities for natural foraging could have a larger effect on overall activity levels compared with larger enclosure sizes that should provide more locomotion opportunities. More importantly, it showed that even when enclosure space and complexity were limited, increased opportunities for foraging through the application of enrichment could increase species-typical behaviours. Such inexpensive, easy to implement enrichment methods should be applied to provide more complex environments for captive non-human primates, particularly in situations where there are logistical and/or cost constraints to the modification of physical exhibits.

Current practices in nutrition management and disease incidence of common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)

“…Nutrition recommendations for zoo populations also emphasize use of low caloric density vegetables especially since commercially available fruits are higher in sugar than those encountered in natural environments 2,26 . Food as a component of environmental enrichment should be limited and provided in a medium that promotes species‐specific behaviors 27 . Overall, a balanced primary diet should constitute the majority of food intake.…”

Environmental Enrichment Attenuates Oxidative Stress and Alters Detoxifying Enzymes in an A53T α-Synuclein Transgenic Mouse Model of Parkinson’s Disease

“…Other previous studies suggested that EE inhibits apoptosis, enhances neuroprotection in the brain of rodent PD models [ 39 , 46 ], and improves neurobehavioral functions in brain disorders including PD [ 13 , 47 ]. It has been suggested that EE can also be the key to provide for the stimulation of various brain regions [ 13 , 48 , 49 , 50 ]. Therefore, the inhibition of apoptosis through protecting cell proliferation of neurogenesis area is a promising therapeutic strategy in the various brain regions of PD.…”

A Model Quantitative Assessment Tool for Nonhuman Primate Environmental Enrichment Plans

“…Foraging devices are widespread in use and their EE value has been studied in a range of species that includes rhesus macaques (Bayne et al, 1991(Bayne et al, , 1992Reinhardt, 1993b), cynomolgus macaques (Bennett et al, 2014;Holmes, Riley, Juneau, Pyne, & Hofing, 1995), squirrel monkeys (Fekete, Norcross, & Newman, 2000;Spring, Clifford, & Tomkol, 1997), and callitrichids (Chamove, 2005;Sha, Ismail, Marlena, & Lee, 2016;Voelkl, Huber, & Dungl, 2001).…”

“…Provision of artificial turf boards and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe devices resulted in a decrease in stereotypical behavior in singly-housed rhesus and cynomolgus macaques (Bayne et al, 1991(Bayne et al, , 1992Holmes et al, 1995). Comparable behavior effects were observed in cotton top tamarins and Goeldi's monkeys, which showed an increase in species typical behaviors (i.e., foraging) and activity budgets (Sha et al, 2016).…”

“…Unsurprisingly, devices that pose a manipulative challenge for the extractions of small food items (e.g., such as a PVC pipe with small holes drilled in it) sustain engagement longer than simply providing food items in an open treat dispenser (Bennett et al, 2014). Overall, typical foraging devices that encourage manipulation and engagement from captive NHP can lead to positive behavioral changes and likely are an effective form of EE (for additional review and references c.f., Sha et al, 2016).…”