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Wooddell LJ, Beisner BA, Nathman AC, Day A, Cameron A, Pomerantz O, McCowan B. Sex Differences in Hierarchical Stability in a Formation of a Mixed-sex Group of Rhesus Macaques. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR LABORATORY ANIMAL SCIENCE : JAALAS 2022; 61:67-74. [PMID: 34903314 PMCID: PMC8786381 DOI: 10.30802/aalas-jaalas-21-000067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Forming groups of captive rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) is a common management practice. New formations of unfamiliar macaques can be costly, with high levels of trauma, particularly as intense aggression is used to establish a dominance hierarchy. Combining previous subgroups into one new group may be beneficial, as some individuals already have established dominance relationships. We tested this hypothesis by forming a new mixed-sex group of rhesus macaques that combined an established group of females with an established group of males. Prior to the mixed-sex group formation, both the female and male hierarchies had been stable for 3 y; after mixed-sex group formation these hierarchies were maintained by the females and were initially maintained by the males for 3 wks. However, the temporary hospitalization (due to a laceration caused by aggression) of the alpha male destabilized the male hierarchy. Age and weight then predicted male rank. Temporary hospitalizations resulted in rank changes for the males, evidenced by reversals in subordination signals. This study indicates that using established groups of familiar individuals may maintain female hierarchical stability in a mixedsex group formation, but further research is needed to understand how to maintain and predict male hierarchical stability to reduce trauma. Improved knowledge of hierarchical stability would be invaluable to managers of large rhesus macaque groups and would help improve the welfare of captive rhesus macaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren J Wooddell
- Colony Management Department, Yerkes National Primate Research Center Field Station, Lawrenceville, Georgia
| | - Brianne A Beisner
- Colony Management Department, Yerkes National Primate Research Center Field Station, Lawrenceville, Georgia
| | - Amy C Nathman
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Ashleigh Day
- Population Behavioral Health Services, California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California
| | - Ashley Cameron
- Population Behavioral Health Services, California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California
| | - Ori Pomerantz
- Population Behavioral Health Services, California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California
| | - Brenda McCowan
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
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Ballesta S, Sadoughi B, Miss F, Whitehouse J, Aguenounon G, Meunier H. Assessing the reliability of an automated method for measuring dominance hierarchy in non-human primates. Primates 2021; 62:595-607. [PMID: 33847852 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-021-00909-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Among animal societies, dominance is an important social factor that influences inter-individual relationships. However, assessing dominance hierarchy can be a time-consuming activity which is potentially impeded by environmental factors, difficulties in the recognition of animals, or disturbance of animals during data collection. Here we took advantage of novel devices, machines for automated learning and testing (MALT), designed primarily to study non-human primate cognition, to additionally measure the dominance hierarchy of a semi-free-ranging primate group. When working on a MALT, an animal can be replaced by another, which could reflect an asymmetric dominance relationship. To assess the reliability of our method, we analysed a sample of the automated conflicts with video scoring and found that 74% of these replacements included genuine forms of social displacements. In 10% of the cases, we did not identify social interactions and in the remaining 16% we observed affiliative contacts between the monkeys. We analysed months of daily use of MALT by up to 26 semi-free-ranging Tonkean macaques (Macaca tonkeana) and found that dominance relationships inferred from these interactions strongly correlated with the ones derived from observations of spontaneous agonistic interactions collected during the same time period. An optional filtering procedure designed to exclude chance-driven displacements or affiliative contacts suggests that the presence of 26% of these interactions in data sets did not impair the reliability of this new method. We demonstrate that this method can be used to assess the dynamics of both individual social status, and group-wide hierarchical stability longitudinally with minimal research labour. Further, it facilitates a continuous assessment of dominance hierarchies in captive groups, even during unpredictable environmental or challenging social events, which underlines the usefulness of this method for group management purposes. Altogether, this study supports the use of MALT as a reliable tool to automatically and dynamically assess dominance hierarchy within captive groups of non-human primates, including juveniles, under conditions in which such technology can be used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Ballesta
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France. .,Centre de Primatologie, Université de Strasbourg, Niederhausbergen, France.
| | - Baptiste Sadoughi
- Centre de Primatologie, Université de Strasbourg, Niederhausbergen, France.,Department of Life Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, UK.,Oniris - Nantes Atlantic College of Veterinary Medicine, Food Science and Engineering, Nantes, France
| | - Fabia Miss
- Centre de Primatologie, Université de Strasbourg, Niederhausbergen, France.,Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jamie Whitehouse
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France.,Centre de Primatologie, Université de Strasbourg, Niederhausbergen, France
| | - Géraud Aguenounon
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France.,Centre de Primatologie, Université de Strasbourg, Niederhausbergen, France
| | - Hélène Meunier
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France.,Centre de Primatologie, Université de Strasbourg, Niederhausbergen, France
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Mendoza KA, Stockinger DE, Cukrov MJ, Roberts JA, Hwa GGC. Effects of transdermal mirtazapine on hyporexic rhesus and cynomolgus macaques (Macaca mulatta and Macaca fascicularis). J Med Primatol 2021; 50:128-133. [PMID: 33528049 DOI: 10.1111/jmp.12512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hyporexia and weight loss are important indicators of physical and psychological well-being in macaque colonies. An FDA-approved transdermal formulated Mirtazapine (MTZ) shows effectiveness in managing feline hyporexia. This study sought to determine its effectiveness as an appetite stimulant in macaques. METHODS Fourteen macaques with idiopathic hyporexia, intractable to conventional management were treated with transdermal MTZ (0.5 mg/kg) topically administered to aural pinnae once daily for 14 days. Qualitative food consumption was monitored daily for 6 months. Body weights were collected prior to treatment, every 2 weeks for the first 6 weeks, 10 weeks, and 6 months post-treatment. RESULTS Transdermal MTZ significantly reduced the frequency of hyporexia during treatment and monthly for 6 months. No significant increase in weight noted until approximately 6 months post-treatment. CONCLUSIONS Results from this study indicate that a short course of transdermal MTZ is an effective way to increase food consumption in macaques chronically.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Diane E Stockinger
- Valley Biosystems, West Sacramento, CA, USA.,California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey A Roberts
- Valley Biosystems, West Sacramento, CA, USA.,California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA, USA
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