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Diving and Underwater Swimming as Enrichment Activities for Captive Rhesus Macaques (Macaca Mulatta)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

J R Anderson ,
A Rortais  and
S Guillemein
J R Anderson*
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Psychophysiologie (CNRS URA 1295), Université Louis Pasteur, 7 rue de l'Université, 67000 Strasbourg, France
A Rortais
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Psychophysiologie (CNRS URA 1295), Université Louis Pasteur, 7 rue de l'Université, 67000 Strasbourg, France
S Guillemein
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Psychophysiologie (CNRS URA 1295), Université Louis Pasteur, 7 rue de l'Université, 67000 Strasbourg, France
*
† Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints
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Abstract

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In order to assess the environmental enrichment value of a small swimming pool for captive juvenile rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), observations of social and individual behaviours were made during baseline and experimental (pool) conditions. When the pool was available there was less social grooming and cage manipulation, and more play. Most of the monkeys engaged in diving and underwater swimming. The presence of pieces of banana at the bottom of the pool reduced these water-related activities, whereas when raisins were spread along the bottom or when there was no food in the water, there was more diving and less aggression. Certain effects tended to vary with dominance status, but individual differences appeared more important than social status in determining reactions to the water. The provision of a small swimming pool for captive macaques is an effective contribution to improving their welfare.

Keywords

aggressionanimal welfaredominanceenvironmental enrichmentplayrhesus macaquesswimming
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 3 , Issue 4 , November 1994 , pp. 275 - 283
Copyright
© 1994 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

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