Positive Interaction with Monkeys and Apes

1. Positive Interaction with Monkeys and Apes

2. Why is positive interaction important? • Improves animal welfare for sanctuary primates • Primates deserve our respect • Necessity: we should aim to work with them on the basis on trust, good and positive relationships • Safety

3. Why is positive interaction important? • Improves animal welfare • Positive relationships lead to happier animals • Positive relationships with primates can decrease fighting that occurs within groups • Positive relationships with primates can decrease their overall stress levels

4. Why is positive interaction important? • Primates at sanctuaries deserve our respect • Most have had very negative experiences with humans in the past • Humans may have killed their mothers and other family members • Humans may have abused them • Humans may have neglected them • We control much of their lives – and they know this

5. Why is positive interaction important? Necessity! • Positive relationships with the primates at the sanctuaries make it easier for caregivers to do their jobs • With primate cooperation we can more easily feed, clean, move animals, and provide veterinary care when needed • We should try not to force the primates in our care to do anything– there might be exceptions such as emergency (health) care or safety

6. Why is positive interaction important? Safety! • Primates can cause minor and serious injury to humans both from inside their enclosures and when they escape • Positive interactions with humans decrease this likelihood for caregivers and visitors • Primates with positive interactions with humans are less likely to: • Throw rocks or feces • Try to bite, scratch, or otherwise injure people • Escapes are a reality – and primates have a very good memory

7. What influences primate-caregiver relationships? • Every interaction between primate and caregiver influences the quality of the relationship • Positive relationships are ones with • Trust • Honesty • … and without • Threats • Lies/Trickery

8. How do we build trust and honesty? • Trust and honesty means… • Animals know that caregivers are not going to hurt them • Animals know that caregivers will do what they say • Animals understand that caregivers behave consistently

9. How do we build trust and honesty? • DO: • Be patient • Be quiet and calm • Be gentle and humble • Crouch down if needed • Avoid eye contact with species that find it threatening • Ignore unpleasant behaviors like spitting, or throwing of feces. • Show compassion

10. How do we build trust and honesty? • DO NOT: • Rush or force interactions • Raise your voice or bang on caging • Threaten or intimidate with your body language or objects • Use trickery • Stare for prolonged periods into their eyes • Retaliate against unpleasant behaviors (such as spitting or throwing feces) • Show them anger or frustration • Use social pressure

11. How do we build trust and honesty? • Learn to “speak the language” of the species you are caring for: • Behaviors • Vocalizations • Facial expressions • Use only friendly (“affiliative”) behaviors and vocalizations that are suitable for each species. • Examples: lip-smacking in monkeys, panting in chimpanzees, grooming, playing

12. Trickery destroys trust • What does it mean to trick someone? • Telling/showing them you mean one thing, and doing something different • Offering an animal a piece of fruit that they want and not giving it to them • Offering an animal access to an area they desire and closing the door before they get there • Sometimes in emergencies, trickery is necessary • So save it for emergencies

13. Trickery vs. Bribery • We often bribe animals to do things that we want them to do

14. Trickery vs. Bribery • We often bribe animals to do things that we want them to do • Example: You offer an animal a piece of fruit to move to a different room • Bribery: you give the animal the fruit when they are secure in the room you want them in • Trickery: you do not give them the fruit when they are secure in the room you want them in

15. Threats destroy trust • What are threats? • Using size, position, body language, or objects to demonstrate to an individual that you can do them physical harm • Scaring an individual • Threatening animals makes them afraid we may hurt them. In return they may want to: • Run away from us • Hurt us first

16. Threats destroy trust • Threats should be avoided, including: • Yelling • Chasing • Banging on caging • Pointing a hose at the monkey or ape (and actually hosing) • Raising a stick or other object at a monkey or ape • Lunging or charging • Sometimes in emergencies, threats are necessary • So save it for emergencies

17. Pay attention to the primates’ behavior!! • Don’t force interactions with monkeys or apes—let them come to you

18. Pay attention to the primates’ behavior!! • If a monkey or ape does ask for your attention, give it to them, even if you are extremely busy. • Even short, positive interactions make a difference!

19. Pay attention to the primates’ behavior!! • Pay attention to their facial expressions and body language • Back off if they appear tense, anxious, fearful, or aggressive • Examples: fear grimace (showing all the teeth), hair standing on end (piloerection), cowering, barking • Sometimes when we intend to be friendly our signals are not received that way!

20. Pay attention to the primates’ behavior!! • When a captive primate threatens you… • You cannot threaten them back • You can • Look away, look down • Distract yourself with something in your hands (even pretend) • Turn and leave the room quietly (understand consequences) • Pretend you don’t notice and continue what you are doing (if it is non-threatening) • Focus your attention on something else

21. How can our behavior affect theirs? • We are part of the monkeys’ and apes’ daily lives • They may consider us part of their community • They learn from us • They respect us • If we favor one individual over another, this can affect the group’s dominance hierarchy and cause problems.

22. Independence • We want all animals at the sanctuary to feel safe and independent

23. Independence • The animals we care for may enjoy our company but they should not need our company • Except for babies • Our goal is for all animals to feel happy and secure even without humans around

24. Trickery vs. Bribery • We often bribe animals to do things that we want them to do • Example: You offer an animal a piece of fruit to move to a different room • Bribery: you give the animal the fruit when they are secure in the room you want them in • Trickery: you do not give them the fruit when they are secure in the room you want them in

25. Abnormal and unwanted behavior • Often captive primates display abnormal and unwanted behaviors • Throwing rocks, feces, or food • Thumb, finger, or toe sucking • Rocking or self-hugging • Repetitive, functionless walking/pacing/swinging • Excessive hair plucking • Self injury (hitting, slapping, biting)

26. Abnormal and unwanted behavior • How can we reduce abnormal and unwanted behavior? • Increase environmental stimulation and enrichment • Provide appropriate social enrichment (group members, playmates, and friends) • Improve caregiver-animal interactions and relationships • Respond to abnormal behavior appropriately

27. Abnormal and unwanted behavior • Caregivers can influence abnormal or unwanted behavior without knowing it • These behaviors occur in response to stress • If animals are scared of or stressed by the presence of caregiver(s) or other humans, they may display these behaviors • Developing positive relationships and promoting positive human-animal interaction can therefore reduce these behaviors!

28. Abnormal and unwanted behavior • Caregivers can influence abnormal or unwanted behavior without knowing it • Our reactions to these behaviors may reinforce them • Example: feces throwing • What is the best response? • Ignore the behavior unless it is hurting individual in the group

29. Abnormal and unwanted behavior • What about eating feces? • Feces eating, though gross, is not always abnormal. Sometimes animals eat feces when they have nutritional deficiencies or have eaten certain foods recently (particularly sweet fruits that may not have been fully digested)

30. Safety When interacting with monkeys and apes, always follow the safety rules of your sanctuary, especially if you are engaging in physical contact. Remember that monkeys and apes can cause both minor and serious injuries to you, even if they seem calm and you are being friendly.

31. Conclusions • Primates learn every time we interact with them • We must respect their autonomy, behavior, and desires • Positive relationships with primates are good for the primates and caregivers • We must pay attention to the primates’ behavior! • Our behavior can influence their behavior

32. The PASA Primate Care Training Program is made possible by a generous grant from Fondation Brigitte Bardot.