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Articles 1 - 30 of 30
Full-Text Articles in Animal Sciences
Staff Perceptions Of Responsibility And Implementation Of Cognitive Enrichment For Non-Human Primates In Zoo Settings, Ember Nevada Toth
Staff Perceptions Of Responsibility And Implementation Of Cognitive Enrichment For Non-Human Primates In Zoo Settings, Ember Nevada Toth
All Master's Theses
In zoos, caregivers have considered enrichment as vital for their animal collections’ physical health and development. Since primate species are endangered and continue to decline in numbers in their natural habitat, zoos are steadily becoming the only places we can view and learn about them. In today’s zoos, cognitive enrichment—which falls into overlapping categories of enrichment and does not yet have a universally accepted definition—is either absent or inconsistently offered. Providing challenges to stimulate cognitive well-being has been found to influence the overall welfare of captive primates. Cognitive enrichment is considered very important according to zookeeper surveys but is not …
Intestinal Parasite Infection In Tibetan Macaques (Macac Thebetana) In Eastern China, Miarisoa Ramilison
Intestinal Parasite Infection In Tibetan Macaques (Macac Thebetana) In Eastern China, Miarisoa Ramilison
All Master's Theses
Grooming is one of the crucial social behaviors of primate species that functions to remove parasites and maintain social bonds. Although, much data exists to support the idea that grooming is essential in forming and sustaining social bonds among individuals, there is a lack of information about the extent to which it removes ectoparasites or contributes to the spread of internal parasites. To fill this gap in the literature, we investigated the relationship between social contact behavior including grooming and intestinal parasite infection in Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana). This species lives at Mt. Huangshan in China. We used …
Mommy Issues: Do Differential Rearing Histories Affect The Social Behavior Of Captive Chacma Baboons (Papio Ursinus), Madeleine Spencer
Mommy Issues: Do Differential Rearing Histories Affect The Social Behavior Of Captive Chacma Baboons (Papio Ursinus), Madeleine Spencer
All Master's Theses
I observed the behavior of 17 chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) in order to understand the relationship between rearing history, dominance hierarchy, and social behavior. The Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and Education (C.A.R.E.) has utilized hand-rearing in the past and is currently using a surrogate-rearing method. Hand-rearing involves one or more primary caregivers attending to an infant for 6 – 12 months. Surrogate-rearing involves one individual being the primary surrogate for the first 3 months of the infant’s life prior to bonding her or him to an adult female baboon before integrating both back into the surrogate’s troop. Mother-reared …
Sampling The Local Fare: Fishes At The Sam Israel House Pit (45gr76), Soap Lake, Washington, Adam Fruge
Sampling The Local Fare: Fishes At The Sam Israel House Pit (45gr76), Soap Lake, Washington, Adam Fruge
All Master's Theses
The Sam Israel site is a precontact archaeological complex with numerous fish bones at the north end of Soap Lake, Washington. Excavated in 1976, the fish remains recovered from there were never fully analyzed prior to this research. Since this inland Columbia Plateau site had thousands of fish bones, it contained untapped potential for our understanding of ancient local fish procurement. As such, I conducted a detailed analysis of 2,862 fish bone specimens from the Sam Israel House Pit locus to: study a larger sample of fish bones in greater detail than was done before; compare the distribution of fishes …
Group Differences In Mother-Infant Macaca Fascicularis Behavior, Parasite Load, And Body Condition Within An Anthropogenically Altered Forest, Elizabeth M.C. Coggeshall
Group Differences In Mother-Infant Macaca Fascicularis Behavior, Parasite Load, And Body Condition Within An Anthropogenically Altered Forest, Elizabeth M.C. Coggeshall
All Master's Theses
This study aimed to establish preliminary health and behavioral data, as well as understand group variation for a large population of Macaca fascicularis individuals within an anthropogenically altered monkey forest. A parasitic analysis of 40 mother and infant individuals showed that M. fascicularis carried 13 different parasitic taxa, and that there was parasitic variation between groups. Body condition scores were determined using a newly created and adapted body condition scale from 146 sampled mother macaques. Body condition scores were significantly different between groups, specifically the pond group when compared to the three other groups. Mother-infant behavioral differences were seen between …
Effect Of Group Size On The Activity Budget Of Two Captive Chimpanzees (Pan Troglodytes), Kaeley Sullins
Effect Of Group Size On The Activity Budget Of Two Captive Chimpanzees (Pan Troglodytes), Kaeley Sullins
All Master's Theses
Captive facilities housing chimpanzees are required to provide adequate care and provisions such as dietary, social, and environmental enrichment to promote the psychological well-being of the apes in their care. Chimpanzees are social creatures and changes in groups as well as relocation to a facility with new social partners, can impact each individual chimpanzee’s welfare. By tracking each chimpanzee’s activity budgets, managers can assess welfare and make improvements or adjustments if necessary. I looked at the activity budgets of two captive chimpanzees after the death of a group member and the two chimpanzees’ subsequent relocation to a novel, more socially …
The Effect Of Sound On Captive Chimpanzees (Pan Troglodytes), Grace Coffman
The Effect Of Sound On Captive Chimpanzees (Pan Troglodytes), Grace Coffman
All Master's Theses
Sound exposure can have detrimental physiological and psychological effects on humans, but effects on nonhuman primates are not as well understood. Captive chimpanzees are exposed to markedly different acoustic environments than their wild counterparts. This study assessed the organic soundscape of a chimpanzee sanctuary, the Fauna Foundation, in Carignan, Québec, Canada. Noninvasive, observational data collection assessed for frequency of behavior and correlations between chimpanzee behavioral categories, arousal level, and decibel level. Agonistic behavior occurred more frequently in the highest decibel level category. There was a positive correlation between decibel level and arousal level. These findings suggest the need for increased …
Re-Evaluating Captive Chimpanzee “Dominance”: Dominance Hierarchy And Chimpanzee-Caregiver Relationships At Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, Jake Funkhouser
Re-Evaluating Captive Chimpanzee “Dominance”: Dominance Hierarchy And Chimpanzee-Caregiver Relationships At Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, Jake Funkhouser
All Master's Theses
This thesis is composed of two journal-ready articles and an accompanying appendix with additional data and interpretation. Overall, this thesis describes and statistically analyzes dominance relationships in two nonhuman primate groups with novel methods, possible correlations between dominance and testosterone, and uncovers the prominent connection of caregivers to captive chimpanzee social networks. Chapter I addresses current and past variability in behavioral measures and statistical methods to derive dominance rankings. I propose a novel approach to using existing statistical techniques to analyze dominance ranks, context-dependent dominant structures (agonistic competitions, lack of agonism, privileged role, priority access to resources), the reliability of …
Response Of Three Species Of Monkeys To Caregiver Use Of Species-Typical Behavior, Lillian Anna Stolar
Response Of Three Species Of Monkeys To Caregiver Use Of Species-Typical Behavior, Lillian Anna Stolar
All Master's Theses
Caregivers are a primary part of captive monkey environments. When addressing psychological well-being of captive nonhuman primates, social environment should be considered. Chimpanzees, gorillas, New World monkeys, and Old World monkeys responded positively to interactions with caregivers. Some species showed increased affiliative behaviors and decreased abnormal or self-directed behaviors after interactions. These studies showed that caregivers can affect the behavior of nonhuman primates. Caregivers are underutilized as a source of social interaction for captive nonhuman primates. Utilizing species-typical behaviors during interactions, caregivers and nonhuman primates can communicate and interact in different ways that may be beneficial to both caregiver and …
Single And Pair Housed Chacma Baboons’ (Papio Ursinus) Response To Caregivers’ Use Of Species-Specific Behavior, Josefine Holm
Single And Pair Housed Chacma Baboons’ (Papio Ursinus) Response To Caregivers’ Use Of Species-Specific Behavior, Josefine Holm
All Master's Theses
Most captive primates suffer from stereotypical or abnormal behavior which can be reduced by implementing enrichment protocols. There is, however, often spatial or economic limitations to facilities’ enrichment programs, and implementing the most beneficial and cost-effective enrichment is therefore crucial to ensure the best welfare for captive primates. Social enrichment has been designated as the most effective type of enrichment, but often captive primates cannot be housed in social groups. Through this study, I wanted to determine if species-specific behavioral interactions between human caregivers and captive chacma baboons (Papio ursinus)would alter the baboons’ behaviors, and if these interactions could …
Chimpanzee (Pan Troglodytes) Space Use In A Sanctuary Setting, Holly Soubiea
Chimpanzee (Pan Troglodytes) Space Use In A Sanctuary Setting, Holly Soubiea
All Master's Theses
Studies of chimpanzee space use can provide information about chimpanzees’ preferences and welfare. This study examined the space use of 12 chimpanzees at Fauna Foundation, a chimpanzee sanctuary located in Carignan, Québec, Canada. Observers recorded the chimpanzees’ location, elevation, perimeter, and substrate using a scan sampling procedure. In total, there were 93 hours of data and 3,190 scans. The author used Geographical Information System (GIS) to plot the chimpanzees’ location for each scan. The chimpanzees used the largest rooms most often, were inside 61% (n = 1,942) of the time, an arm’s reach away from the perimeter 90% (n = …
The Social Behavior Of Rehabilitated Spider Monkeys (Ateles Geoffroyi), Anthony Denice
The Social Behavior Of Rehabilitated Spider Monkeys (Ateles Geoffroyi), Anthony Denice
All Master's Theses
The welfare of captive primates in laboratories, sanctuaries, and zoos is affected by various aspects of their environments. Although space restrictions increase aggression and stress-related behaviors in most captive animals, primates show diverse mechanisms for displacing stress and mitigating conflict. Many primates, including wild spider monkeys (genus Ateles), use these mechanisms flexibly to cope with social and environmental stressors. I investigated whether or not captive black-handed spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) use behavioral strategies to cope with potential stressors in captivity. In particular, I tested whether an affiliative or avoidant strategy was used in response to changes in …
Collective Decision Making In Tibetan Macaques: How Followers Affect The Rules And Efficiency Of Group Movement, Amanda Rowe
Collective Decision Making In Tibetan Macaques: How Followers Affect The Rules And Efficiency Of Group Movement, Amanda Rowe
All Master's Theses
Primate societies must undergo successful collective decision making during group movement to stay cohesive and provide the ecological and evolutionary benefits of sociality. This study investigates how a fan structure facilitates successful group movement in the YA1 group of Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) at Mt. Huangshan National Reserve in Anhui, China. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to determine the relative influences of sex, age, maternal kinship, dominance, and social network centrality on the number of fans (consistent followers) an individual had, and the number of group members an individual was a fan of (fandom). SEM revealed that …
Captive Chimpanzees' (Pan Troglodytes) Night-Time Enrichment Selection And Use, Katherine M. Mcdonald
Captive Chimpanzees' (Pan Troglodytes) Night-Time Enrichment Selection And Use, Katherine M. Mcdonald
All Master's Theses
Captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) engage with enrichment objects extensively during the daytime, yet relatively little is known regarding their use of available enrichment at night. This study examined night-time enrichment use in three adult chimpanzees at the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute. Every evening, the chimpanzees received a variety of enrichment objects. The objects belonged to one of nine categories. Night-vision video cameras recorded the chimpanzees’ night-time behaviors every Monday through Thursday from July 9 to August 9, 2012 (Carner et al., 2013). The present study used a focal animal, instantaneous sampling method (Martin & Bateson, 2007) to …
Enrichment Use & Social Interactions In A Mixed-Species Enclosure Of Sumatran (Pongo Abelij) & Bornean Orangutans (P. Pygmaeus) & Northern White-Cheeked Gibbons (Nomascus Leucogenys), Emily Veitia
All Master's Theses
Enrichment is an aspect of captive husbandry that has been shown to positively impact animals’ well-being and can be designed to encourage species-typical behaviors, such as foraging and arboreality. Enrichment can include housing together multiple compatible species. Orangutans are sympatric with siamangs and agile and Bornean gibbons, so several zoos house these four Asian ape species in the same enclosure, in part, as social enrichment. In my study, I observed enrichment use and social interactions in a mixed-species enclosure at the Oregon Zoo, which housed two Sumatran (Pongo abelii) and two Bornean (P. pygmaeus) orangutans with …
Play In Immature Tibetan Macaques (Macaca Thibetana): Location, Use Of Play Signals, And Play Bout Termination At Mt. Huangshan, China, Kaitlin R. Wright
Play In Immature Tibetan Macaques (Macaca Thibetana): Location, Use Of Play Signals, And Play Bout Termination At Mt. Huangshan, China, Kaitlin R. Wright
All Master's Theses
In this study, I examined the relationship between play behaviors, play location, the frequency of selected play signals, and play bout termination in Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) during immature social play. I gathered video data at the Valley of the Wild Monkeys, Mt. Huangshan, China, and focused on 21 juvenile and infant macaques (zero to five years of age). I used an all occurrence sampling method to score play behaviors and play signals with an ethogram. I hypothesized that play groups would use play signals in functionally appropriate ways based on the location of the play bout, the …
Comparison Of Chimpanzee (Pan Troglodytes) Behavior On Tour And Non-Tour Days At Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, Allison A. Farley
Comparison Of Chimpanzee (Pan Troglodytes) Behavior On Tour And Non-Tour Days At Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, Allison A. Farley
All Master's Theses
In this study, I investigated the potential effect of a visitor program on captive chimpanzees’ (Pan troglodytes) behaviors at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest (CSNW) in Cle Elum, Washington. I used focal animal sampling to score behaviors from an ethogram of affiliative, aggressive and abnormal chimpanzee behaviors, as well as foraging and vigilance. During each sample, I recorded the focal’s location within the enclosure and whether he or she was situated in locations that would be in view of visitors (present or not). I analyzed 720 minutes of data from each of the seven CSNW chimpanzees. I tested the hypothesis …
Reaction To Stimulus Figures In Chimpanzee Drawings, Alexandra Bobrinskoy Casti
Reaction To Stimulus Figures In Chimpanzee Drawings, Alexandra Bobrinskoy Casti
All Master's Theses
Seven captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) produced drawings at the University of Oklahoma between November 1971 and November 1972. Chimpanzees drew on sheets of paper that were either blank or had a stimulus. The stimulus was located in the center or offset from the center. These drawings were scanned and digitized. Analysis tested whether chimpanzee mark placement was contingent on the location of stimulus figures. Centroid locations significantly changed between stimulus type for all drawing categories and among participants for free choice and central figure drawings. Participants drew in the empty space opposite offset figure drawings. Findings support previous …
Provisioning And Its Effects On The Social Interactions Of Tibetan Macaques (Macaca Thibetana) At Mt. Huangshan, China, Brianna I. Schnepel
Provisioning And Its Effects On The Social Interactions Of Tibetan Macaques (Macaca Thibetana) At Mt. Huangshan, China, Brianna I. Schnepel
All Master's Theses
The dispersal patterns of food resources has a significant effect on the composition of primate groups and social interactions within those groups. Humans often alter the dispersal of food. Non-humans often use affiliative behaviors to elicit tolerance or support from other group members. I investigated whether provisioned food resources alter the social interactions and group dynamics of Macaca thibetana. All-occurrence sampling and scan sampling were used for data recorded by camera traps. Trail-cameras were placed at six locations that contain natural and human food resources and recorded 60-second videos. Social behavior and proximity of the monkeys were recorded. I …
Javan Gibbon (Hylobates Moloch) Non-Vocal Social Communication And Gesture Use With Conspecifics, Melanie Bell
Javan Gibbon (Hylobates Moloch) Non-Vocal Social Communication And Gesture Use With Conspecifics, Melanie Bell
All Master's Theses
I explored gestures used by captive Javan gibbons (Hylobates moloch) at the Gibbon Conservation Center (Santa Clarita, CA). I hypothesized that a sender gibbon’s gesture modality would vary with the recipient gibbon’s attentional state and the sender would be equally likely to use all modalities (tactile, visual, actions, and facial expressions) when the recipient was attending (facing the sender), but would use more tactile gestures and actions when the recipient was non-attending (oriented away from the sender). I collected data from 10 individuals using all-occurrences sampling and an ethogram to score behaviors from video recordings. In 1,143 interactions, …
Female Social Connectivity Through The Leadership And Movement Progression Of Tibetan Macaques At Mt. Huangshan, China, Gregory P. Fratellone
Female Social Connectivity Through The Leadership And Movement Progression Of Tibetan Macaques At Mt. Huangshan, China, Gregory P. Fratellone
All Master's Theses
The present study investigates the leadership and progression of collective movements of Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) found in Mt. Huangshan, China. I gathered information on their movements and social networks through all-occurrence, focal and scan sampling. I hypothesize that high-ranking females lead more collective movements than males as they have highly structured social bonds. I also predict that movements weighted by female presence are more efficient as societies are matrilineally structured and females are more socially connected. There were a total of 128 successful collective movements recorded over a 2-month period. There was no significant effect of sex, …
A Comparison Of Chimpanzee (Pan Troglodytes) Responses To Caregiver Use Of Positive Reinforcement Training (Prt) And Species-Specific Behaviors (Ssb), Whitney D. Emge
A Comparison Of Chimpanzee (Pan Troglodytes) Responses To Caregiver Use Of Positive Reinforcement Training (Prt) And Species-Specific Behaviors (Ssb), Whitney D. Emge
All Master's Theses
The present study compared the effects of positive reinforcement training (PRT) and unstructured interactions (UI) on chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) behavior. In the PRT condition, a caregiver interacted with a chimpanzee to condition behaviors for 10 min. In the UI condition, a caregiver interacted without PRT for 10 min. Participants were five chimpanzees in a sanctuary setting. Chimpanzees were also videotaped for 10 min after trials (PTP) and for 10 min in a matched control (MC) period on a different day. From these videotapes experimenters coded chimpanzee behaviors and calculated durations in behavioral contexts. Chimpanzees spent a significantly higher …
Behavioral Response Of Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus Tridentatus) To Predator Odors, Laurie L. Porter
Behavioral Response Of Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus Tridentatus) To Predator Odors, Laurie L. Porter
All Master's Theses
Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus), a species facing serious threats to their existence, experience a number of challenges in reaching their desired spawning grounds during the adult migratory phase, and predators are suspected to be one of these challenges. Understanding if Pacific lamprey respond to predator odorants may provide a management tool for use in conjunction with attractants in guiding lamprey to suitable spawning habitat and deterring them from poor habitat. Previous research has failed to explore Pacific lamprey response to predator odorants, although much research exists on attractant odorants. In our study, we tested Pacific lamprey response to …
The Elwha River Restoration: Landscape Change, Salmon, And Sense Of Place, Kelseyanne Johnson
The Elwha River Restoration: Landscape Change, Salmon, And Sense Of Place, Kelseyanne Johnson
All Master's Theses
Removal of the Elwha River dams to restore the ecosystem and salmon fisheries is the largest project of its kind in the history of the United States. Spanning decades and affecting generations, this project has changed and will continue to change the landscape. This research examined the influence of the anticipated return of salmon on 18 key stakeholders' sense of place of the Elwha River. For almost all stakeholders, changes to the Elwha landscape are welcomed as they expect that salmon will restore the ecosystem to its natural state. Narrative data revealed dominant themes in participants' sense of place expressed …
Chimpanzee (Pan Troglodytes) Responses To Visitors Using Chimpanzee-Friendly Behaviors, Daniella Bismanovsky
Chimpanzee (Pan Troglodytes) Responses To Visitors Using Chimpanzee-Friendly Behaviors, Daniella Bismanovsky
All Master's Theses
Many studies suggest that zoo visitors are a cause of stress among animals; among primates, visitor presence can lead to an increase in aggressive displays, time spent non-visible to the public, and a decrease in overall activity. This study tested the effectiveness of using species-specific behaviors among a group of captive chimpanzees. There were 2 conditions: a control, and an experimental condition in which visitors were asked to adopt a stooped posture or lean on the railing, and show a chimpanzee play face. The visitors stooped their posture, sat, and leaned on the railing significantly more in the experimental condition …
The Public Perception Of Enrichment For Captive Animals, Elizabeth Marie Webb
The Public Perception Of Enrichment For Captive Animals, Elizabeth Marie Webb
All Master's Theses
The effects of providing participants with educational information on enrichment as measured by the looking time at and ratings of zoo photographs were examined. One hundred and seventeen participants viewed photographs of zoo exhibits, 10 from each of the following categories: artificial exhibit with artificial enrichment, artificial exhibit with naturalistic enrichment, naturalistic exhibit with naturalistic enrichment, and naturalistic exhibit with artificial enrichment. Participants rated the photographs on exhibit aesthetic appeal, perceived animal happiness, and effectiveness of the enrichment. Pre- and posttest ratings of the importance of zoo roles were also collected. Results showed support for the hypothesis that participants provided …
A Spatial And Temporal Analysis Of Riparian Vegetation Along Satus Creek On The Yakama Indian Reservation, Kathryn Gellenbeck
A Spatial And Temporal Analysis Of Riparian Vegetation Along Satus Creek On The Yakama Indian Reservation, Kathryn Gellenbeck
All Master's Theses
Satus Creek provides critical habitat for the Yakima River Basin steelhead. A diverse community of riparian vegetation is important for healthy fish habitat; vegetation changes can affect shade, cover, channel structure, water quality, and food availability. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze and illustrate riparian vegetation change, both temporally and spatially, along three separate reaches of Satus Creek. A Geographic Information Systems approach was applied to assess the vegetation change by comparing plant species composition and density on 1949 and 1995 aerial photographs. The GIS approach allowed patterns and trends in the vegetation to be identified. In less …
Summer Home Range Size Of The Eastern Cascade Mountain Beaver (Aplodontia Rufa Rainieri) In Relation To Availability Of Preferred Food, Robert Julian Stagg
Summer Home Range Size Of The Eastern Cascade Mountain Beaver (Aplodontia Rufa Rainieri) In Relation To Availability Of Preferred Food, Robert Julian Stagg
All Master's Theses
Optimal foraging theories relate food preference to nutrient content and nutrient availability to home range size. After synthesizing these theories, I hypothesized that the availability of preferred food plants influences the home range size of generalist herbivores. I also hypothesized that the availability of preferred foods does not affect weight gain of time-minimizing generalist herbivores, but should affect the weight gain of energy-maximizing generalist herbivores. To test these hypotheses, I studied the home ranges, weights, weight gains, food habits, and habitats of six adult female mountain beavers (Aplodontia rufa) from six separate sites where bracken fern was either …
An Investigation Of The Behavior Of Citellus Townsendii Townsendii (Bachman) In Central Washington, Mark Roy Fuller
An Investigation Of The Behavior Of Citellus Townsendii Townsendii (Bachman) In Central Washington, Mark Roy Fuller
All Master's Theses
This study of the behavior of Citellus townsendii townsendii was based on field observations of animals at their northern most distribution. The squirrels' seasonal activity and behavioral repertoire, when considered with environmental parameters, suggest important adaptations for survival. The animals were in torpor from about July to February. Activity generally occurred during the midmorning hours, allowing them to avoid temperature extremes. Quantitative analysis of behavioral observations indicated that most activities occurred in a non-random order.
The Breeding Biology Of The Western Tanager (Piranga Ludoviciana), Gary G. Benson
The Breeding Biology Of The Western Tanager (Piranga Ludoviciana), Gary G. Benson
All Master's Theses
In 1969 a two-year study was undertaken in an effort to enlarge our knowledge of the life history of the western tanager (Piranga ludoviciana). Bent (1958) summarizes the literature on the western tanager, and a review of his work clearly shows an almost total absence of detailed information on the species' life history. To obtain this information, observations were conducted from 1 May through 29 July 1969. A few observations were made during the 1968 breeding season.