A Touchscreen-Based, Multiple-Choice Approach to Cognitive Enrichment of Captive Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta)

Area of Science:

• Animal Behavior
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Animal Welfare Science

Background:

• Cognitive enrichment for captive animals remains understudied compared to social and structural enrichment.
• Existing enrichment methods often lack external validity or applicability.
• There is a need for scalable and pragmatic cognitive enrichment protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an interactive, multiple-choice touchscreen interface for cognitive enrichment in captive rhesus monkeys.
• To assess the engagement and task preferences of rhesus monkeys using the novel interface.
• To provide captive animals with greater control over their environment and enhance their sense of agency.

Main Methods:

• Developed a cage-mounted touchscreen interface with interchangeable cognitive tasks.
• Allowed 16 rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) free interaction with the interface in their home enclosures.
• Monitored engagement and task selection over 6 weekly sessions.

Main Results:

• All 16 rhesus monkeys consistently engaged with the touchscreen interface.
• 11 out of 16 monkeys demonstrated clear task preferences.
• Monkeys showed proficiency in performing selected cognitive tasks.

Conclusions:

• The interactive multiple-choice interface is a viable method for cognitive enrichment in captive rhesus monkeys.
• This automated approach enhances animal agency and well-being without social separation or dietary restriction.
• The interface offers a sustainable, scalable, and pragmatic protocol for improving animal welfare in captive settings.