A unique design for ease of access and movement of captive Papio hamadryas

Baboons are widely used in biomedical research but their size and behaviour present potential problems with accessibility. A unique system has been developed that ensures ease of access to all animals in a colony of Papio hamadryas. Two distinct caging complexes were linked by a network of overhead races, that are connected to a physical restraint area where individual animals could be separated, restrained and weighed without being handled. Access to and separation of individual family groups was achieved in this manner. This race system proved to be time effective, simple, sturdy, safe and hygienic.