Separation and depression in infant gorillas

Hoff, Michael P.; Nadler, Ronald D.; Hoff, Kathryn T.; Maple, Terry L.

doi:10.1002/dev.420270703

Cited by 14 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 36 publications

(30 reference statements)

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“…In addition to an increase in stereotypical behavior, there was a marked increase in contact and neck-rubbing between the females after separation. The increase in neck rubbing observed in this study in response to social separation may be analogous to the increase in contact and clinging observed in non-human primate infants after removal of their mothers [Hoff, et al, 1994]. Neck-rubbing has been suggested to be a "sexuo-social mechanism" to strengthen social cohesion among male giraffe [Coe, 1967], but is rarely seen between female giraffe [Dagg and Foster, 1976].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

“…SE, Atlanta, GA 30315. E-mail: ltarou@mindspring.com human primate mother/infant pairs as subjects [Kaplan, 1970;Preston et al, 1970;Bloomsmith et al, 1988;Hoff et al, 1994]. Like human infants and young children [Spitz, 1946;Bowlby, 1960], non-human primate infants separated from their mothers exhibit a biphasic change in behavior [Mineka and Suomi, 1978].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Social attachment in giraffe: Response to social separation

2000

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Attachment relationships between animals are often studied by separating a pair of individuals and recording their subsequent behavior. Studies of non‐human primates have shown that separation results in changes that are indicative of both psychological and physiological stress. Similar results have been found in several non‐primate species with differing social structures. This study examined the behavior of two female giraffe at Zoo Atlanta after the removal of the resident male. Data were collected on the giraffe before and after separation, using an instantaneous scan sampling technique to record levels of activity, social behaviors, solitary behaviors, proximity, and habitat utilization. After the removal of the resident male, both giraffe exhibited increased levels of activity, stereotypical behavior, contact behavior (particularly neck‐rubbing), and decreased habitat utilization. These results are similar to those found in earlier primate separation studies, supporting the hypothesis that complex social structure is not necessary for the formation of social attachments. Because social separation is often accompanied by behavioral and physiological indications of stress, an understanding of the variables involved in a species' response to separation is vital to the promotion of the psychological and physical well‐being of captive animals. Zoo Biol 19:41–51, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social attachment in giraffe: Response to social separation

2000

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“…The data available on the infant response to maternal separation indicate that great ape infants exhibit the characteristic biphasic change in behavior observed in other nonhuman primate species (Codner & Nadler, 1984;Hoff, Nadler, Hoff, & Maple, 1994). The data available on the infant response to maternal separation indicate that great ape infants exhibit the characteristic biphasic change in behavior observed in other nonhuman primate species (Codner & Nadler, 1984;Hoff, Nadler, Hoff, & Maple, 1994).…”

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confidence: 95%

Empty Nest: A Case Study of Maternal Response to Separation From a Juvenile Offspring in a Captive Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus abelii)

Tarou¹,

Bashaw²,

Maple³

2000

Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science

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Improving the welfare of captive nonhuman primates requires evaluating the stressors created by the captive environment and reducing their negative effects. Social separation, although sometimes necessary for managing the genetic diversity of captive populations of animals, causes both psychological and physiological stress in human and primate monkey infants. Few studies have examined the maternal response of great ape mothers to separation from their offspring. This article describes the behavioral changes of a mother orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus abelii) after separation from her juvenile daughter. We collected data on measures of proximity and social behavior before the separation of the mother-infant dyad and of locomotion, arboreality, abnormal behavior, solitary behavior, and vocalization both before and after separation. We observed no behavioral indications of protest but observed some indications of despair after separation: decreased locomotion, increased inactivity, and increased self-directed behavior. In addition, we observed increases in arboreality and object-oriented behavior during morning sessions. These findings suggest that mother-juvenile separation in orangutans might be less stressful for mothers than might be expected. Such research has implications for the welfare and management of captive animals.The social bond between mothers and their infants has been studied extensively in nonhuman primates, primarily by examining the behavioral and physiological responses of the infant to separation from the mother (Mineka & Suomi, 1978).

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Variability in the developmental life history of the genusGorilla

Stoinski

Perdue

Breuer

et al. 2013

American J Phys Anthropol

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Life history is influenced by factors both intrinsic (e.g., body and relative brain size) and extrinsic (e.g., diet, environmental instability) to organisms. In this study, we examine the prediction that energetic risk influences the life history of gorillas. Recent comparisons suggest that the more frugivorous western lowland gorilla shows increased infant dependence, and thus a slower life history, than the primarily folivorous mountain gorilla to buffer against the risk of starvation during periods of food unpredictability. We further tested this hypothesis by incorporating additional life history data from wild western lowland gorillas and captive western lowland gorillas with the assumption that the latter live under ecological conditions of energetic risk that more closely resemble those of mountain gorillas and thus should show faster life histories than wild members of the species. Overall, we found captive western lowland and wild mountain gorillas to have faster developmental life histories than wild western lowland gorillas, weaning their infants approximately a year earlier and thus reducing interbirth intervals by a year. These results provide support that energetic risk plays an important role in determining gorilla life history. Unlike previous assertions, gorillas do not have substantially faster life histories, at least at the genus level, than other great apes. This calls for a re-evaluation of theories concerning comparative ape life history and evolution and highlights the need for data from additional populations that vary in energetic risk.

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Separation and depression in infant gorillas

Cited by 14 publications

References 36 publications

Social attachment in giraffe: Response to social separation

Social attachment in giraffe: Response to social separation

Empty Nest: A Case Study of Maternal Response to Separation From a Juvenile Offspring in a Captive Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus abelii)

Variability in the developmental life history of the genusGorilla

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