Serum concentrations of lipids, vitamins A and E, vitamin D metabolites, and carotenoids in nine primate species at four zoos

Abstract

The purpose of this work was to measure important nutritional status parameters for captive primates, compare those with published data, and look for a link with diet. The nutritional status of nine captive primate species was examined using biochemical analysis. The species were spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi), colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza), sooty mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus), Schmidt's monkeys (Cercopithecus ascanius), mandrills (Papio sphinx), baboons (Papio cynocephalus), chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus), and gorillas (Gorilla gorilla). Diet information was collected by survey and the estimated nutritional composition of the diet for each species at each institution was compared with non-human primate nutrient requirements. On the average, the captive primates received diets that met or exceeded recommended dietary guidelines for vitamins A, D, and E for non-human primates. Blood samples were collected from 94 primates held at Brookfield Zoo, Fort Worth Zoo, Lincoln Park Zoological Gardens, and North Carolina Zoological Park and analyzed for lipids, vitamins A and E, D metabolites, and carotenoids. Several species showed differences among zoos for some nutrients, but values from any one zoo were not consistently lower. When monkeys were compared with great apes, monkeys had lower serum total cholesterol, triacylglyceride, and measured LDL cholesterol levels, but significantly higher vitamin D metabolite levels. Species differences were found for serum A, E, and carotenoid levels (with the exception of lycopene). Some differences were seen in serum retinol, retinyl *Correspondence to: Susan Crissey, Department of Nutritional Services, Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL 60513. E-mail: znnsouth@ix.netcom.com Received for publication April 29, 1999; Accepted September 20, 1999. 552Crissey et al.palmitate and γ-tocopherol. The relatively large number of animals contributing to this database and the fact that the data were collected from four zoos provide a substantial base for comparing nutritional status. Comparisons of these serum levels with previously published values for selected primates and humans revealed some differences.

Serum Nutritional Profiles of Free-Ranging Alouatta Caraya in Northern Argentina: Lipoproteins; Amino Acids; Vitamins A, D, and E; Carotenoids; and Minerals

“…Total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol concentrations are similar to those of free-ranging Mexican mantled howlers (Alouatta palliata mexicana) and other captive NWPs (Crissey et al 1999(Crissey et al , 2003. Captive apes have significantly higher cholesterol concentrations than those of their free-ranging counterparts, which may be affecting their cardiovascular health (Schmidt et al 2006), but appears not to be a problem with captive howlers.…”

“…f Crissey et al (1999). concentrations and calculated LDL cholesterol concentrations, which we determined via Friedewald's equation (Friedewald et al 1972).…”

“…Researchers often compare nutrient blood parameters in exotic subjects to values measured in domestic animals, which, though helpful, may not be the best standard for evaluating exotic animals. In the first study to encompass several primate species from captive settings, Crissey et al (1999) collected and analyzed plasma/serum samples for lipid; vitamins A, D, and E; and carotenoid concentrations from 9 primate species living at 4 zoos. The ideal basis for evaluating the results from captive subjects would be serum nutrient concentrations from freeranging species.…”

Nutritional Manipulation of Primate Retinas, I: Effects of Lutein or Zeaxanthin Supplements on Serum and Macular Pigment in Xanthophyll-Free Rhesus Monkeys

“…Despite this limitation, the data in previous studies indicate that rhesus monkeys on normal stock diets have relatively low serum xanthophyll concentrations compared with those in humans, great apes, and most other captive monkey species that have been studied. 50,51 Indeed, recent measurements for rhesus monkeys from China show the lowest values for serum LϩZ of any Old World primates yet examined. 50 In previous studies performed by one of the authors with other collaborators, Z and L, as well as some of their isomers, have been separated in analyses of serum from humans and two species of monkeys.…”

Evaluation of diabetes determinants in woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagotricha)

“…Triacylglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL-Chol concentrations for the woolly monkeys were within the normal ranges for new and old world monkeys and for humans (Halperin et al, 1968;Cefalu et al, 1993;Crissey et al, 1999;Andrade et al, 2004;Kim et al, 2005;Medline Plus, 2006). However, the HDL-Chol values appeared to be low (0.8 mmol/l) compared with the reference ranges for primates (Crissey et al, 1999;Medline Plus, 2006). Concentrations of HDL are inversely related to the incidence of cardiovascular disease (Lagua and Claudio, 2004).…”