The criteria for successful captive propagation of endangered primates

Abstract

There are several criteria used for evaluating the success of captive breeding programs for endangered primates. The most stringent criterion is that animals should be maintained in captivity so that they can retain the ability to survive if they are reintroduced to the wild. Implementing the criterion means designing environments that provide analogues to the natural environment. The role of social reinforcement and observational learning in attaining behavioral competence is quite important. Thus, animals need complex social and physical environments in order to acquire the sensorimotor, social interaction, and parental care skills they need to be self-sustaining. In addition, environments should be managed to provide animals with opportunities to learn skills, foraging and predator detection skills. Research efforts must be a part of all captive breeding programs not only to improve the captive breeding environment but also to learn as much as possible about an endangered species before it becomes extinct. A variety of noninvasive research techniques are described that allow the gathering of high quality research data without compromising the breeding success of the endangered animals.Key words: captive breeding, noninvasive research, cotton-top tamarins, behavioral INTRODUCTION skills, successful reproductionA large number of studies completed over the past few years have led to predictions that much of the tropical rain forest is being destroyed at a rapid rate. An area equivalent in size to West Germany is destroyed every two years according to the conservative estimate [Office of Technology Assessment, 19841. Skorupa [ 19851 estimates that 50 % of the current rain forest in the Amazon and 25 % of the remaining forest in the Congo will be destroyed by the year 2020. All but two primate species have ranges in the tropics, and more than 50% of these species are currently in jeopardy [Wolfheim, 19831. While the preservation of tropical forest habitat is essential, we must also be realistic and acknowledge that draconian measures will be needed to preserve many species. In many cases captive propagation will be the only alternative available [Conway, 1980; Konstant and Mittermeier, 19821. It is therefore Snowdon important that we develop appropriate techniques for successful captive breeding of these species. Such captive breeding programs can serve several functions. 1. Captive animals can serve as substitutes for basic field research on population biology and social biology. If appropriately complex captive environments are developed, then it will be possible to learn as much or more about the natural behavior of a species from captivity as from studying the species in a degraded natural environment. Research on captive populations provides the opportunity to ask more subtle research questions and obtain data with greater precision. For example, many vocalizations of primates are soft intragroup vocalizations that cannot be adequately recorded in the field; they can, however, be studied in captivity [Gautie...

Captive Environmental Influences on Behavior in Zoo Drills and Mandrills (Mandrillus), a Threatened Genus of Primate

“…Recently, Snowdon (1989Snowdon ( ,1991Snowdon ( , 1994 has used this theory, that captive conditions should be based on the environment in the wild, to define a stringent criterion for evaluating the success of captive breeding programs for endangered primates: animals should be maintained in captive conditions designed so that they have the ability to survive if reintroduced into the wild.…”

Refinements in husbandry, care and common procedures for non-human primates

“…The prevalence of stereotypies and other abnormal behaviours may also be higher in small enclosures than in relatively larger, more complex ones (Kitchin & Martin 1996). Housing in small enclosures may also reduce breeding success (Boot et al 1985, Snowdon 1989.…”

Recent trends in genetic research on captive and wild nonhuman primate populations

“…As noted in the introduction to this review, there is a great deal of potential interplay between studies of nonhuman primates in the wild and studies in captivity. This is especially true in conservation programs as reviewed by Snowdon (1989). As natural habitats diminish, captive populations increase in value as a genetic reserve, and captive animals may be reintroduced into the wild (Snowdon, 1989).…”

“…This is especially true in conservation programs as reviewed by Snowdon (1989). As natural habitats diminish, captive populations increase in value as a genetic reserve, and captive animals may be reintroduced into the wild (Snowdon, 1989). Genetic management protocols for such populations should strive to maintain the similarity of the genetic variability in the captive group to that present in the natural population from which it was derived (Hedrick et al, 1986;Snowdon, 1989).…”

“…As natural habitats diminish, captive populations increase in value as a genetic reserve, and captive animals may be reintroduced into the wild (Snowdon, 1989). Genetic management protocols for such populations should strive to maintain the similarity of the genetic variability in the captive group to that present in the natural population from which it was derived (Hedrick et al, 1986;Snowdon, 1989). Attainment of this would also help to assure the validity of extrapolating from genetic studies of complex traits in captive populations to those in wild populations.…”