Zoo visitors as a source of enrichment to reduce abnormal behavior in captive rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) in the Central Zoo, Kathmandu, Nepal

Overexpression of abnormal behavior among captive primates indicates poor management practices. The type, frequency, and contributing factors of abnormal behaviors vary highly across individual animals in captive settings. This study explored if sex, rearing history, the number of visitors, and type of visitor-monkey interactions affected the behaviors of captive rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) housed at the Central Zoo in Kathmandu, Nepal. Behavioral observations of six adult rhesus macaques (ages 4­12 years; two were rescued from the wild, and four were born in the zoo) were conducted using the focal animal sampling method. Observations were collected daily in two conditions (7:00­10:00 AM, without visitors present; and 10:00 AM­1:00 PM, with visitors present). During the visitor presence condition, instantaneous scan sampling also was implemented every 10 minutes to record the number of visitors and the type of visitor-monkey interaction. Resting, feeding and grooming were the most prevalent activities, and abnormal behavior ranked fifth throughout the observation period. Significant differences were observed in abnormal or stress-related behavior by sex and rearing history: females engaged in abnormal behavior more than the males, and rescued monkeys engaged in more abnormal behavior than the captive born. Abnormal behavior decreased, begging behavior increased as the number of zoo visitors and the extent of visitor-monkey interaction increased. We conclude that captive rhesus macaques respond to zoo visitors as a source of enrichment, and visitors' presence helps decrease abnormal or stress-related behavior levels.

CONDICIONAMENTO OPERANTE DE Macaca mulatta (ZIMMERMAN, 1780) COMO FERRAMENTA DE APRIMORAR O BEM-ESTAR E VIABILIZAR PROTOCOLOS CIENTÍFICOS (Cercopithecidae - Primates)

Primatas não humanos (PNH) criados para fins científicos necessitam de manejo frequente para realização de procedimentos diversos mediante contenção física e/ou química, aumentando o estresse e risco de acidentes, prejudicando a qualidade das pesquisas e afetando o bem-estar dos animais. Técnicas de condicionamento operante com reforço positivo devem ser utilizadas para que os animais cooperem na execução dos procedimentos, demonstrando clara redução dos riscos de manejo e consequente melhoria na qualidade de vida dos animais e das pesquisas neles desenvolvidas. Neste trabalho, primeiramente foi elaborado um etograma para avaliação comportamental de seis exemplares (três machos e três fêmeas) da espécie Macaca mulatta (macaco rhesus), e posterior seleção de quatro animais para o estudo. Foi aplicado o método de condicionamento operante com reforço positivo em que, após responder adequadamente aos sinais ou comandos do treinador, os animais são recompensados com algo palatável que instigue interesse, tais como frutas ou guloseimas. Os treinos, divididos em duas fases, foram realizados sempre no período da tarde, por no máximo 30 minutos por animal, dois a cinco dias da semana. Inicialmente os animais foram condicionados a entrar na gaiola adaptada ao seu recinto e, uma vez dessensibilizados, partiu-se para as ações sequenciadas de condicionamento, que consistiu em ingestão de líquidos em seringas, aferição de temperatura, e coleta de urina. Ao responder positivamente às sessões, prosseguia-se para a segunda fase do treinamento, incluindo injeção intramuscular e coleta de sangue pela veia femoral. Por se tratar de estímulos desconfortáveis/aversivos, foi realizada a dessensibilização em etapas nos treinos da segunda fase. Foi possível condicionar quatro macacos rhesus para ingestão de líquidos em seringa e aferição de temperatura, um para coleta de urina e dois para injeção intramuscular, não sendo possível a coleta de sangue via veia femoral. Os animais mais favoráveis para a execução da técnica de condicionamento apresentaram maior frequência de categorias exploratórias, interações pacíficas e reduzidas condutas agonísticas, onde as fêmeas demonstraram ser mais facilmente condicionadas do que os machos. A vivência com os animais do estudo na aplicação do treinamento possibilitou aprimorar as técnicas de condicionamento, na busca de respostas positivas mais rápidas e eficazes, permitindo a coleta de amostras biológicas, com o mínimo de estresse que antes era desencadeado por contenções física e/ou química. O estudo permitiu gerar um Programa de Condicionamento Animal (PCA), com a proposta de um método de pesquisa direta com PNH sobre o referido assunto, como base para o desenvolvimento de outros trabalhos acerca de condicionamento animal. Os resultados demonstraram potencial reprodutibilidade nas pesquisas em prol da saúde pública, servindo, desta forma, como embasamento técnico para a sua aplicação em outras instituições que utilizam PNH destinados a pesquisas.

Nonhuman primates (NHP) created for scientific purposes need frequent handling in order to develop several procedures through physical and/or chemical restraint, increasing stress and risk of accidents, impairing the quality of research and affecting the animal welfare. Techniques of operant conditioning with positive reinforcement must be used, so that the animals cooperate in performance of the procedures, demonstrating a clear reduction of the management risks and consequent improvement in the life quality and researches developed in the animals. In this work, firstly an ethogram was prepared for the behavioral evaluation of six specimens (three males and three females) of the species Macaca mulatta (rhesus monkey), and subsequent selection of four animals for the study. The operant conditioning method with positive reinforcement was applied in which, after responding adequately to the trainer's signals or commands, the animals are rewarded with something palatable that instigates interest, such as fruits or treats. Training, divided into two phases, was always carried out in the afternoon, for a maximum of 30 minutes per animal, two to five days a week. Initially, the animals were conditioned to enter the cage adapted to their enclosure and once desensitized, they proceeded to the sequenced conditioning actions, which consisted of ingesting liquids in syringes, measuring the temperature and collecting urine. When responding positively to the sessions, the second phase of training was continued, including intramuscular injection and blood collection through the femoral vein. As they are uncomfortable/aversive stimuli, desensitization was carried out in stages in the training sessions of the second phase. It was possible to condition four rhesus monkeys for ingestion of fluids in a syringe and temperature measurement, one for urine collection and two for intramuscular injection, not being possible to collect blood via femoral vein. The most favorable animals for the execution of the conditioning technique were those with the highest frequency of exploratory categories, peaceful interactions, and reduced agonistic interactions, where females were more easily conditioned than males. The experience with the animals of the study in application of the training enabled improving the conditioning techniques, aiming faster and more effective positive responses, allowing collection of varied biological samples, with the minimum of stress that was previously triggered by physical and/or chemical restraints. The study allowed the creation of an Animal Conditioning Program (ACP), with the proposal of a method of direct research with NHP on the referred subject, as a basis for the development of other works on animal conditioning. Results demonstrated potential reproducibility in research in favor of public health, thus serving as a technical basis for its application in other institutions that use NHP used for research.