 | Copies of this journal are no longer available for sale, but our other two journals, Society & Animals and the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, are available and subscriptions are quite affordable. They can be ordered online via our secure order page. |
The author recounts her successful experiences in enriching the lives of captive primates through the use of inexpensive food puzzles that challenge foraging skills and through the use of a diverse diet.
2. A diverse diet helps to lessen the monotony of the zoo schedule. We try to make certain they never know what they will find as they forage through their exhibit.
3. Use of jug puzzles. In addition to feeding devices, these jugs give the captive individuals something to throw when angry and hold onto when they are scared. We receive lots of plastic jugs left over from the zoo restaurant which are free and easily cleaned. We have found them to be excellent for their regular feeding by cutting holes in the sides of the jugs. The size and number depend on the type of food to be used. All of the following jug puzzles will work with any primate who cannot get the cap off and will not eat the plastic. We experienced them working well with Debrazza, Diana, and Colobus monkeys, Siamangs, and Lemurs. Here are some details on how we have learned to use them:
A. Loosely hanging them in or on the sides of the exhibit in an upright position and placing part of their diet inside is a quickly set-up challenge. They must manipulate the jug around to dump out the food. The larger the pieces of food, the greater the task to retrieve it.
B. Hanging a jug on the side or just outside the exhibit with a hole just large enough for the primate hand near the top. Here, the primate must put his or her hand into the hole and fish around the bottom of the jug in order to get the food. Adding something they need to forage through also works well. Another hole made in the back of the jug makes easy access for the keepers to add food while the primates are still on exhibit.
C. Even when simply placed in the exhibit, jugs give the primates something to throw when angry and something to hold onto when scared.
D. With a few minor adjustments, we turned jugs into something for them to manipulate for receiving food. By cutting holes in the sides of the jugs, (size and number dependent on the type of food to be used) the jugs turned into captivating food dispensers. We found if the holes are made just large enough to let the food through with a little help from the primate, they are most effective and keep interest high and frustration tolerances low. These jugs can work for almost any diet. For example we have used them for monkey chow, Muzuri enriched bits, crickets, and mealworms. All of the jug ideas worked well when implimented with Debrazza, Diana, and Colobus monkeys, Siamangs, and Lemurs. Any primate that cannot get the cap off and will not eat the plastic is a good candidate for these jugs. These jugs can also be modified for the larger, more manipulative primates or for exhibits needing a more naturalistic appearance is desired. For example, a short log with a large hole drilled in the center and the top screwed back on can work well. 4. Permanent mesh boxes with a small hole, attached to the exhibit also make an interesting puzzle. Unlike the jug the animals cannot throw it around so they must manipulate the chow (or small pieces of fruit) to the opening with the tips of their fingers through the mesh. Having many of these around the exhibit adds much time to food retrieval since the primate must spend considerable time for one piece of chow and then move to another box and start all over again.
5. Hanging buckets with different kinds of lids can be fun. The primates either have to lift, slide, turn or otherwise maneuver the lid to get to the food inside. Dividing the interior of the bucket so the lid must be manipulated several times to get to the different sections adds to the challenge. Changing the buckets every few days presents differing tasks to the primates. To keep this as simple as possible permanent ropes are hung in the exhibit with a clip on the end. The different buckets are made with a metal ring on the top that can be easily clipped to the ropes and then exchanged for another puzzle. We also use hanging plastic milk crates that are exchangeable from day-to-day, and in summer, containers of flavored ice that slowly drips throughout the day. The suggestions mentioned above are just a few simple, inexpensive ways to add some challenge to the lives of captive primates. It has been shown in many species, including primates, that they will choose to work on puzzles rather than eating the food from a nonchallenging bowl (Quick, 1984). Spreading the food around also can make it more challenging to eat as well as makes it difficult for an individual to dominate the food. It may also decrease the need to separate the animals for feeding, thereby allowing the public witness more natural feeding behaviors of the individuals. The most effective thing, we find, is to keep things challenging, novel, and always changing.
When a particular individual becomes proficient with a certain device, we give it to another primate, and give the first one something new. After awhile, we give the old puzzles back to them and see how well they do after a prolonged absence. Primates are very complicated beings, whose natural environments are very complex. They need to be challenged, not just physically, but mentally, during their stay in captivity (Shepardson, 1988) - a real challenge to the creativity of all humans involved with their care.
Away from the zoo Linda enjoys the
theater, her vast menagerie
of animals at home from her dog, cats, rabbits, rats,
lizards and any being
that would like a home for a night. Linda reports, "The only thing lacking in
my environment is the proper social grouping for my species."
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| Copies of this journal are no longer available for sale, but our other two journals, Society & Animals and the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, are available and subscriptions are quite affordable. They can be ordered online via our secure order page. |