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Alternatives to continuous social housing
1National Center for Research Resources, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Laboratory Animal Science
|August 1, 1991
Summary
When social housing is not possible for nonhuman primates, environmental enrichment can promote species-typical behaviors in single-cage environments. This approach enhances locomotive, manipulative, and foraging activities for individually housed animals.
Area of Science:
- Primate welfare and behavior
- Animal housing and enrichment
Background:
- Social housing is generally preferred for social nonhuman primates.
- Certain research conditions or animal health concerns may necessitate individual housing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore alternatives to social housing for nonhuman primates.
- To investigate methods for enhancing the well-being of individually housed nonhuman primates.
Main Methods:
- Designing nonsocial environmental enrichment schemes.
- Focusing on increasing home cage complexity for single-housed animals.
Main Results:
- Nonsocial enrichment can enhance locomotive/postural behaviors.
- Manipulative and foraging behaviors are promoted through environmental complexity.
- Species-typical behaviors can be supported in single-cage settings.
Conclusions:
- Environmental enrichment is a viable strategy when social housing is precluded.
- Nonsocial enrichment can effectively support nonhuman primate behavior in individual housing.
- Careful design of enrichment can promote well-being in nonhuman primates.