The Psychological Well-Being of Nonhuman Primates

by National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences, Commission on Life Sciences, et al.

A 1985 amendment to the Animal Welfare Act requires those who keep nonhuman primates to develop and follow appropriate plans for promoting the animals' psychological well-being. The amendment, however, provides few specifics.

The Psychological Well-Being of Nonhuman Primates recommends practical approaches to meeting those requirements. It focuses on what is known about the psychological needs of primates and makes suggestions for...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0309052335
• ISBN13: 9780309052337
• Release Date: November 1998
• Publisher: National Academies Press
• Length: 182 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A Primer for the Morlocks

Have you ever read H. G. Wells' The Time Machine? Maybe you've seen the movie. The main setting is sometime in the very distant future when humankind has differentiated into two groups: the Eloi and the Morlocks. Basically, the Morlocks gave the Eloi everything they needed - food, clothing, shelter - and every once in a while steal a few Eloi to eat. As I read Well-Being I was reminded of this relationship many times. Throughout the text are recommendations and admonishments to encourage the animal care staff to develop a trusting and caring relationship with their wards. "Where possible, staff should avoid barriers that hinder the development of individual relationships between nonhuman primates and the people that care for them. . . . The intense sociality of many primates is often expressed in forming social relationships with humans; these relationships not only might enhance the psychological well-being of the animals but will also facilitate many routine and even unusual procedures," (p 44). "Callitrichids [marmosets and tamarins] can develop strong likes and dislikes of individual humans. The monkeys appear to have long memories and and respond with fearful behavior to hearing the voice or footsteps of someone who has captured them several months earlier, (p 77). "The presence of a familiar [and trusted?] technician who does not participate in the capture itself might be helpful in calming animals . . . (p 78). "Most cebids [new world monkeys] quickly learn to recognize familiar people and will respond to them in accord with the nature of their experiences. Technicians who deal with the daily care of these animals should interact with their charges primarily in ways that are pleasant for the animals, (p 88). "If infant apes require removal from their mother, it is essential that they receive around-the-clock care from familiar care givers who are sensitive to their needs . . . Past practices of placing a mother-separated infant in a cage and taking it out only for feeding and cleaning are to be discouraged because they contribute to social and cognitive developmental problems. . . Under those conditions, great apes do not develop normal emotional responses and are likely to become unpredictable and dangerous both to humans and to other apes," (p 109). "Caregivers can serve as important points of social contact from which primates can garner positive interaction, instructions, and emotional security," (p 121). If such recommendations are followed how will laboratories and primate centers be able to keep animal care staff employed? The animal care technicians I have known fall into three general categories: 1. People who form relationships with monkeys and apes - these individuals are the ones who do not last long. They see themselves as traitors to their friends. 2. People who remain detached - these individuals make it a point not to develop relationships because they know they would be forced to quit, like the first group. 3. People

A Primer for the Morlocks

Have you ever read H. G. Wells' The Time Machine? Maybe you've seen the movie. The main setting is sometime in the very distant future when humankind has differentiated into two groups: the Eloi and the Morlocks. Basically, the Morlocks give the Eloi everything they need - food, clothing, shelter - and every once in a while steal a few Eloi to eat. As I read Well-Being I was reminded of this relationship many times. Throughout the text are recommendations and admonishments to encourage the animal care staff to develop a trusting and caring relationship with their wards. "Where possible, staff should avoid barriers that hinder the development of individual relationships between nonhuman primates and the people that care for them. . . . The intense sociality of many primates is often expressed in forming social relationships with humans; these relationships not only might enhance the psychological well-being of the animals but will also facilitate many routine and even unusual procedures," (p 44). "Callitrichids [marmosets and tamarins] can develop strong likes and dislikes of individual humans. The monkeys appear to have long memories and and respond with fearful behavior to hearing the voice or footsteps of someone who has captured them several months earlier, (p 77). "The presence of a familiar [and trusted?] technician who does not participate in the capture itself might be helpful in calming animals . . . (p 78). "Most cebids [new world monkeys] quickly learn to recognize familiar people and will respond to them in accord with the nature of their experiences. Technicians who deal with the daily care of these animals should interact with their charges primarily in ways that are pleasant for the animals, (p 88). "If infant apes require removal from their mother, it is essential that they receive around-the-clock care from familiar care givers who are sensitive to their needs . . . Past practices of placing a mother-separated infant in a cage and taking it out only for feeding and cleaning are to be discouraged because they contribute to social and cognitive developmental problems. . . Under those conditions, great apes do not develop normal emotional responses and are likely to become unpredictable and dangerous both to humans and to other apes," (p 109). "Caregivers can serve as important points of social contact from which primates can garner positive interaction, instructions, and emotional security," (p 121). If such recommendations are followed how will laboratories and primate centers be able to keep animal care staff employed? The animal care technicians I have known fall into three general categories: 1. People who form relationships with monkeys and apes - these individuals are the ones who do not last long. They see themselves as traitors to their friends. 2. People who remain detached - these individuals make it a point not to develop relationships because they know they would be forced to quit, like the first group. 3. People w

A Primer for the Morlocks

Have you ever read H. G. Wells' The Time Machine? Maybe you've seen the movie. The main setting is sometime in the very distant future when humankind has differentiated into two groups: the Eloi and the Morlocks. Basically, the Morlocks give the Eloi everything they needed - food, clothing, shelter - and every once in a while steal a few Eloi to eat. As I read Well-Being I was reminded of this relationship many times. Throughout the text are recommendations and admonishments to encourage the animal care staff to develop a trusting and caring relationship with their wards. "Where possible, staff should avoid barriers that hinder the development of individual relationships between nonhuman primates and the people that care for them. . . . The intense sociality of many primates is often expressed in forming social relationships with humans; these relationships not only might enhance the psychological well-being of the animals but will also facilitate many routine and even unusual procedures," (p 44). "Callitrichids [marmosets and tamarins] can develop strong likes and dislikes of individual humans. The monkeys appear to have long memories and and respond with fearful behavior to hearing the voice or footsteps of someone who has captured them several months earlier, (p 77). "The presence of a familiar [and trusted?] technician who does not participate in the capture itself might be helpful in calming animals . . . (p 78). "Most cebids [new world monkeys] quickly learn to recognize familiar people and will respond to them in accord with the nature of their experiences. Technicians who deal with the daily care of these animals should interact with their charges primarily in ways that are pleasant for the animals, (p 88). "If infant apes require removal from their mother, it is essential that they receive around-the-clock care from familiar care givers who are sensitive to their needs . . . Past practices of placing a mother-separated infant in a cage and taking it out only for feeding and cleaning are to be discouraged because they contribute to social and cognitive developmental problems. . . Under those conditions, great apes do not develop normal emotional responses and are likely to become unpredictable and dangerous both to humans and to other apes," (p 109). "Caregivers can serve as important points of social contact from which primates can garner positive interaction, instructions, and emotional security," (p 121). If such recommendations are followed how will laboratories and primate centers be able to keep animal care staff employed? The animal care technicians I have known fall into three general categories: 1. People who form relationships with monkeys and apes - these individuals are the ones who do not last long. They see themselves as traitors to their friends. 2. People who remain detached - these individuals make it a point not to develop relationships because they know they would be forced to quit, like the first group. 3. People