DIVISION OF PRIMATE RESOURCES: BEHAVIORAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES PROJECT SUMMARY Behavioral Management Services (BMS) is responsible for ensuring the behavioral health of NHPs housed at the WaNPRC. BMS provides updates to the WaNPRC Environmental Enhancement Plan (EEP) and SOPs pertaining to animal well-being and enrichment. BMS is also responsible for monitoring animals for abnormal behavior, assessing and treating behavioral problems and evaluating responses to treatments. BMS operates a positive reinforcement training program to facilitate cooperative sampling and improve animal welfare. During the previous granting period our program compared two behavioral monitoring methods (Zones and focal monitoring) and identified the most efficient procedure. We also identified a therapy for locomotor stereotypy (increased vertical cage space) and have evaluated seven pharmaceutic treatments in 24 animals. BMS is also currently assessing the therapeutic value of providing leafy greens to ameliorate alopecia. During the next funding period BMS will continue to work with veterinary services to test pharmacologic and other therapies for abnormal behavior and alopecia. BMS is also responsible for forming social pairs and groups. Currently 82% of WaNPRC animals (which do not have scientific or veterinary exemptions) are socially housed. Our goal is to have at least 85% of animals housed in social configurations. BMS oversees enrichment provided by the husbandry staff and is responsible for purchasing and evaluating enrichment devices. During the past 5-year period we have evaluated toy use for 16 different cage toys as well as safety and efficacy of 20 foraging devices. Our program has also evaluated the use of water enrichment and perching/play structures in our Seattle small group housing. During the last granting period BMS has conducted a comprehensive behavioral evaluation of nursery-reared infants and these assessments are ongoing. Outcomes of these observations indicate that for our colony, nursery rearing has minimal impact on behavioral development. A total of 910 hair samples have been collected at the Seattle and Arizona facilities to assess physiological measures of colony well-being with hair cortisol. Some results from these data have been published or submitted for publication and further assay and analyses are ongoing. BMS continues to contribute to the currently accepted professional standards of animal welfare by publishing relevant research on behavioral management and presenting data at national/ international meetings. During the past funding period eight papers have been published in peer reviewed journals and another four are currently submitted for publication. BMS has also been author or co-author on 19 presentations at scientific meetings. Dr. Worlein serves as the WaNPRC representative to the NPRCs Behavioral Management Consortium and also as a member the newly formed Phenotype Mining and New Model Development Working Group (PMNMD). BMS also plays a key role in training new WaNPRC personnel regarding enrichment, ecology and behavior of NHPs as well as providing a for-credit University of Washington laboratory class.
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