Self-injurious Behavior in Zoo Primates

Hosey, Geoff; Skyner, Lindsay J.

doi:10.1007/s10764-007-9203-z

Cited by 36 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Additionally, the relationship between stereotypy and self-injurious behavior is poorly understood, as some self-directed stereotypies can cause physical injury while the same behavior can also occur without injury. The classification of depilation and regurgitation and reingestion as problematic behaviors is also debated (Baker & Easley, 1996; Hosey & Skyner, 2007). Novak et al (2006) advocated for further study of the biological bases of these categories of behavior to determine whether they represent different manifestations of the same underlying mechanism.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterizing abnormal behavior in a large population of zoo-housed chimpanzees: prevalence and potential influencing factors

Jacobson

Ross

Bloomsmith³

2016

PeerJ

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Abnormal behaviors in captive animals are generally defined as behaviors that are atypical for the species and are often considered to be indicators of poor welfare. Although some abnormal behaviors have been empirically linked to conditions related to elevated stress and compromised welfare in primates, others have little or no evidence on which to base such a relationship. The objective of this study was to investigate a recent claim that abnormal behavior is endemic in the captive population by surveying a broad sample of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), while also considering factors associated with the origins of these behaviors. We surveyed animal care staff from 26 accredited zoos to assess the prevalence of abnormal behavior in a large sample of chimpanzees in the United States for which we had information on origin and rearing history. Our results demonstrated that 64% of this sample was reported to engage in some form of abnormal behavior in the past two years and 48% of chimpanzees engaged in abnormal behavior other than coprophagy. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the historical variables that best predicted the occurrence of all abnormal behavior, any abnormal behavior that was not coprophagy, and coprophagy. Rearing had opposing effects on the occurrence of coprophagy and the other abnormal behaviors such that mother-reared individuals were more likely to perform coprophagy, whereas non-mother-reared individuals were more likely to perform other abnormal behaviors. These results support the assertion that coprophagy may be classified separately when assessing abnormal behavior and the welfare of captive chimpanzees. This robust evaluation of the prevalence of abnormal behavior in our sample from the U.S. zoo population also demonstrates the importance of considering the contribution of historical variables to present behavior, in order to better understand the causes of these behaviors and any potential relationship to psychological wellbeing.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterizing abnormal behavior in a large population of zoo-housed chimpanzees: prevalence and potential influencing factors

Jacobson

Ross

Bloomsmith³

2016

PeerJ

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“…Stress may also be due to abiotic factors, including artificial lights, sounds, smells, exhibit substrates, and temperature, as well as environmental factors, such as small areas, forced proximity to humans, routine management, and unusual social groups (Mallapur, 2005;Hosey & Skyner, 2007;Morgan & Tromborg, 2007). In captivity, individuals are expected to exhibit species-specific baseline metabolic hormone concentrations, but fluctuations from baseline levels are expected to occur in association with social or induced stressors, as reported by several authors (e.g., Moberg & Mench, 2001;Palme, Rettenbacher, Touma, El-Bahr, & Möstl, 2005;Peel et al, 2005).…”

Section: Abstract: Captive Management Hormones Stress Saguinus Oedmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fecal Concentrations of Cortisol, Testosterone, and Progesterone in Cotton-Top Tamarins Housed in Different Zoological Parks: Relationships Among Physiological Data, Environmental Conditions, and Behavioral Patterns

Fontani

Vaglio

Beghelli

et al. 2014

Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science

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Additional information:Use policyThe full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that:• a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in DRO • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders.Please consult the full DRO policy for further details. The aim of this investigation was to study the welfare of three captive groups of cotton-top tamarins housed in different zoological parks. Ethological observations were conducted over one year. In addition, fecal samples were collected and the concentrations of glucocorticoids, androgens, and progestagens were measured. Within each group, no significant differences in fecal cortisol concentrations were found between subjects. The fecal concentrations of testosterone and progesterone significantly differed depending on the sexes and ages of the tamarins. A significant association was found among hormone concentrations, exhibit dimensions, and group composition. A highly significant correlation was found between all hormones considered and the space available for each subject. Significant differences in behavioral patterns were observed among groups, including social-individual, affiliativeaggressive, and anogenital-suprapubic scent marking. Correlations between hormone measurements and behaviors were detected. In conclusion, this study confirmed the associations between some behaviors exhibited by these nonhuman primates and both cortisol and testosterone; these data also highlight the role played by progesterone in these behaviors. Keywords: captive management, hormones, stress, Saguinus oedipusAs the issue of nonhuman animal welfare has become increasingly important, many studies have assessed animal well-being in captivity (Candland & Bush, 1995;Kleiman, Allen, Thompson, & Lumpkin, 1992;Maple & Perkins, 1996;Moran & Sorensen, 1984), and zoological facilities now pay close attention to providing species with appropriate environments. Each species has different needs, so it is important to assess the best parameters for managing a given species in captivity to maintain animal health. This topic becomes even more essential when working with species at high risk of extinction and captive individuals who can be reintegrated into the wild. Hershkowitz, 1977), and average size (Ferrari & Ferrari, 1989;Tardif, Richter, & Carson, 1984). However, most of these studies have examined behavioral aspects only and neglected the endocrine component, which is known to be of great importance in maintaining organisms' homeostasis and therefore adaptation to their environments and well-being.Consequently, it is very important to analyze hormone levels, even if their fluctuations are not always easy to understand. The ability to collect physiological and behavioral data ...

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“…Among non-human primates, at least one individual from seven species was observed to hair pluck in a survey of British and Irish zoos [Hosey and Skyner, 2007]. Among the great apes, the behavior has been noted to occur in every captive species: orangutans (genus Pongo) [Zucker et al, 1978;Edwards and Snowdon, 1980], gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) [Pizzutto, 2007;Hill and Broom, 2009;Clark et al, 2012;Less et al, 2013], chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) [Nash et al, 1999;Pomerantz and Terkel, 2009;Birkett and Newton-Fisher, 2011;Ferdowsian et al, 2012], and bonobos (P. paniscus) [Miller and Tobey, 2012;Brand and Marchant, 2015].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hair plucking, stress, and urinary cortisol among captive bonobos (Pan paniscus)

et al. 2016

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Hair plucking has been observed in many captive primate species, including the great apes; however, the etiology of this behavioral pattern is poorly understood. While this behavior has not been reported in wild apes, an ethologically identical behavior in humans, known as trichotillomania, is linked to chronic psychosocial stress and is a predominantly female disorder. This study examines hair plucking (defined here as a rapid jerking away of the hair shaft and follicle by the hand or mouth, often accompanied by inspection and consumption of the hair shaft and follicle) in a captive group of bonobos (N = 13) at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Columbus, Ohio. Plucking data were collected using behavior and all-occurrence sampling; 1,450 social and self-directed grooming bouts were recorded during 128 hr of observation. Twenty-one percent of all grooming bouts involved at least one instance of plucking. Urine samples (N = 55) were collected and analyzed for the stress hormone cortisol. Analyses of urinary cortisol levels showed a significant positive correlation between mean cortisol and self-directed plucking for females (r = 0.88, P < 0.05) but not for males (r = -0.73, P = 0.09). These results demonstrate an association between relative self-directed hair plucking and cortisol among female bonobos. This is the first study to investigate the relationship between hair plucking and cortisol among apes. Overall, these data add to our knowledge of a contemporary issue in captive ape management. Zoo Biol. 35:415-422, 2016. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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Self-injurious Behavior in Zoo Primates

Cited by 36 publications

References 19 publications

Characterizing abnormal behavior in a large population of zoo-housed chimpanzees: prevalence and potential influencing factors

Characterizing abnormal behavior in a large population of zoo-housed chimpanzees: prevalence and potential influencing factors

Fecal Concentrations of Cortisol, Testosterone, and Progesterone in Cotton-Top Tamarins Housed in Different Zoological Parks: Relationships Among Physiological Data, Environmental Conditions, and Behavioral Patterns

Hair plucking, stress, and urinary cortisol among captive bonobos (Pan paniscus)

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