Dados do Trabalho

Título

ASSESSMENT OF WELFARE AND ABNORMAL BEHAVIOUR OF RESCUED SPIDER MONKEYS (ATELES GEOFFROYI) UNDER DIFFERENT HOUSING CONDITIONS

Resumo

Primate rehabilitation programmes aim to counteract the effects of the illegal pet and bushmeat trades on the welfare of rescued/confiscated individuals. In Mexico, several black-handed spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) rehabilitation centres have been established in recent years, but research comparing spider monkey behaviour and welfare between different facilities is lacking. The objective of this study was to assess and compare the welfare state of animals housed at two Mexican facilities; spider monkeys were either housed socially (four individuals in a pre-release enclosure) or in single-housing (eight individuals). All subjects were wild-born and originated from the illegal pet trade. Most subjects housed in the pre-release enclosure were confiscated as infants or juveniles and had been previously reared with other spider monkeys, whereas all single-housed individuals were received as adults and reared in unknown conditions. Individual spider monkey welfare state was assessed by (1) measuring behavioural indicators, (2) measuring physical welfare indicators (by two veterinarians), and (3) a primate welfare survey that was completed by two raters. Most of the indicators/survey items had acceptable levels of inter-rater reliability. There were significant differences in welfare state between the facilities: 75% of single-housed monkeys displayed abnormal behaviours, whilst monkeys housed in the pre-release enclosure were not observed to perform abnormal behaviours (motor stereotypies and self-injurious behaviours). Moreover, the welfare survey identified that the socially housed monkeys were considered as having better social relationships, better responses to stress, were more psychologically stimulated, and displayed less negative welfare signs than single-housed individuals by the two raters. We propose that a lack of environmental enrichment and deprived early rearing history had a greater impact on welfare than current housing.

Financiamento

Mexican National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT, Mexico)

Palavras-chave

Primate rehabilitation; conservation