The social correlates of self-directed behaviour and faecal glucocorticoid levels among adult male olive baboons (<i>Papio hamadryas anubis</i>) in Gashaka-Gumti National Park, Nigeria

Ellis, Jacklyn J.; MacLarnon, Ann; Heistermann, Michael; Semple, Stuart

doi:10.1080/15627020.2011.11407503

Cited by 7 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…We predicted that monkeys would display robust elevations in rates of SDB while crowded alongside elevations in cortisol. Our results did not support this prediction and endorse other studies demonstrating a lack of a positive relationship between SDB and cortisol in a captive orangutan [Elder & Menzel, 2001] and in wild baboons [Ellis et al, 2011;Higham et al, 2009]. Cortisol levels in captive monkeys can show a negative relationship with more severe forms of SDB such as self-injurious behavior [Tiefenbacher et al, 2000].…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 93%

Crowding increases salivary cortisol but not self‐directed behavior in captive baboons

Pearson

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Judge

2015

American J Primatol

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Reduced space can lead to crowding in social animals. Crowding increases the risk of agonistic interactions that, in turn, may require additional physiological defensive coping mechanisms affecting health. To determine the stress induced from increased social density in a group of nineteen baboons living in an indoor/outdoor enclosure, saliva cortisol levels and rates of anxiety-related behavior were analyzed across two unique crowding episodes. Initially, mean salivary cortisol levels when animals were restricted to their indoor quarters were compared to those when they also had access to their larger outdoor enclosure. Then, mean cortisol levels were compared before, during, and after two distinct crowding periods of long and short duration. Crowding resulted in significantly elevated cortisol during crowding periods compared to non-crowded periods. Cortisol levels returned to baseline following two crowding episodes contrasting in their length and ambient climate conditions. These cortisol elevations indicate greater metabolic costs of maintaining homeostasis under social stress resulting from reduced space. Self-directed behavior, conversely, was not reliably elevated during crowding. Results suggest that the potential for negative social interactions, and/or the uncertainty associated with social threat can cause physiological stress responses detected by salivary cortisol. Self-directed behavioral measures of stress may constitute inadequate indicators of social stress in colony-housed monkeys or represent subjective emotional arousal unrelated to hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis activation.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 93%

Crowding increases salivary cortisol but not self‐directed behavior in captive baboons

Pearson

Reeder

Judge

2015

American J Primatol

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“…Self-directed behavior such as autogrooming or scratching has been interpreted as displacement behavior due to frustration or anxiety (Aureli et al 1989;Carder and Semple 2008;Honess and Marin 2006;Maestripieri et al 1992;Troisi 2002) and used as a measure of stress, e.g., in olive baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis: Higham et al 2009), in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes: Fraser et al 2008), and in orangutans (Elder and Menzel 2001). The few studies that have explored the relationship between glucocorticoid concentrations and rates of self-directed behavior in primates have generated ambiguous results: Some have found a positive correlation between the two measures (Peel et al 2005), whereas others have not (Ellis et al 2011;Higham et al 2009;Ulyan et al 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

The Effect of Fission–Fusion Zoo Housing on Hormonal and Behavioral Indicators of Stress in Bornean Orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus)

2014

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The welfare of captive animals could be improved if zoos were to place more emphasis on their species-specific needs. In the wild, orangutans live in a fission-fusion social system and have a semisolitary lifestyle. However, most zoos keep orangutans in permanent groups, which may be stressful for them. Apenheul Primate Park in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, houses 14 Bornean orangutans in a simulated fissionfusion social system. To assess how this housing system affects indicators of stress, we measured fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCM) and determined proportions of self-directed behavior (scratching and autogrooming). We compared fGCM concentrations of the Apenheul animals to those of zoo orangutans kept in permanent groups. In addition, we tested the effect of group size, visitor number, sex, age, and change of group composition on fGCM concentrations and proportions of self-directed behavior in the Apenheul orangutans. In contrast to Bornean orangutans housed in permanent groups, we did not find a group size effect on fGCM or on self-directed behavior in Apenheul's fission-fusion housing system. In addition, fGCM concentrations in Apenheul orangutans increased significantly with visitor numbers. Visitor number also affected proportions of self-directed behavior, and mean proportions of scratching were positively correlated with mean values of fGCM concentrations. Although these results suggest that the fission-fusion housing system in Apenheul reduces the group size effect leading to social stress in Bornean orangutans, they also show that visitors are an important factor that needs to be mitigated if the well-being of captive primates and other zoo animals is to be improved. Abstract The welfare of captive animals could be improved if zoos were to place more emphasis on their species-specific needs. In the wild, orangutans live in a fission-fusion social system and have a semisolitary lifestyle. However, most zoos keep orangutans in permanent groups, which may be stressful for them. Apenheul Primate Park in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, houses 14 Bornean orangutans in a simulated fission-fusion social system. To assess how this housing system affects indicators of stress, we measured fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCM) and determined proportions of self-directed behavior (scratching and autogrooming). We compared fGCM concentrations of the Apenheul animals to those of zoo orangutans kept in permanent groups. In addition, we tested the effect of group size, visitor number, sex, age, and change of group composition on fGCM concentrations and proportions of self-directed behavior in the Apenheul orangutans. In contrast to Bornean orangutans housed in permanent groups, we did not find a group size effect on fGCM or on self-directed behavior in Apenheul's fissionfusion housing system. In addition, fGCM concentrations in Apenheul orangutans increased significantly with visitor numbers. Visitor number also affected proportions of self-directed behavior, and mean proportions of scratching were positively cor...

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Can stress and anxiety be assessed in African elephants (Loxodonta africana) using self-directed behaviour?

Manning¹,

Hauff²,

Padfield

et al. 2022

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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The social correlates of self-directed behaviour and faecal glucocorticoid levels among adult male olive baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis) in Gashaka-Gumti National Park, Nigeria

Cited by 7 publications

References 1 publication

Crowding increases salivary cortisol but not self‐directed behavior in captive baboons

Crowding increases salivary cortisol but not self‐directed behavior in captive baboons

The Effect of Fission–Fusion Zoo Housing on Hormonal and Behavioral Indicators of Stress in Bornean Orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus)

Can stress and anxiety be assessed in African elephants (Loxodonta africana) using self-directed behaviour?

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