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Title: The effect of two feeding enrichments on the foraging and abnormal behaviours of captive capuchins
Author: Laura Clark
Establishment: Writtle College
Summary: Captive primates rarely have to spend as much time searching for, obtaining and processing food, as do their wild counterparts. Consequently behavioural needs are thwarted and abnormal behaviours may develop. Previous feeding enrichment studies involving primates have had partial success at increasing foraging and reducing abnormal behaviours. However, there has been no scientific investigation into the effect of feeding enrichment on the behaviour of the critically endangered yellow breasted capuchin monkey (Cebus xanthosternos). This study investigated the effect of a simple ladder device and a more complex puzzle device on foraging and abnormal behaviour in a group of four captive C.xanthosternos. Allogrooming dyads were also analysed in an attempt to determine whether the male was over grooming himself or whether it was another group member. A combination of scan and focal sampling observations were adopted to measure the frequency of behaviours for one hour pre-feed and two consecutive hours post-feed.
Complete article:
Foraging behaviour increased from 37-42% to 55% with the addition of enrichment, which more closely resembled wild capuchin time budgets. Mean foraging behaviour was significantly higher when the ladder device was present compared to the baseline periods. Foraging behaviour during the puzzle feeder phase was also significantly higher than the baseline levels. All four capuchins interacted with the device throughout the study and there was no evidence of habituation. The capuchins interacted with the puzzle device significantly more than the ladder device. The adult male interacted with both devices significantly less than the females, whilst the infants interacted with both devices significantly more than the adults. Fur pulling decreased during both feeding enrichment conditions and head weaving was performed the least in the puzzle device condition, although these differences were not significant. Weaving and wood chewing also remained unaffected. Both feeding devices were regarded as suitable sources of enrichment for captive yellow-breasted capuchins, particularly if the aim of the study was to increase foraging. However the enrichment did not significantly reduce the four abnormal behaviours. This may be because the enrichment has not eliminated the stress or factor that causes these abnormal behaviours in the first place.
None of the females were ever observed grooming the adult male’s tail, which suggested that he was responsible for the bald patches on his coat.
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