Establishing a predictable cue for catches to reduce reactivity to management events for captive rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

Psychological duress can emerge from the perceived lack of predictability such that, in captive circumstances, reliable signals for aversive events can afford animals with the opportunity to behaviorally and physiologically prepare. Does a reliable and unique signal cue for an aversive management event reduce reactivity to management events that share unreliable cues? We recorded animal responses to management events near, or involving, outdoor-housed rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) in two large mixed-sex groups, with experimental periods that introduced a signal coupled to catch events. Management events varied in the severity and magnitude of animal responses. Our results validated that catches were more disruptive than management events that indirectly involved animal subjects, yet were comparable to management events involving direct interactions. Signal use reduced aversive responses to more routine management events that shared unreliable cues with catches. Due to the abundance of these routine events, we assert that the value of change with the implementation of the signal provided a detectable improvement across multiple measures of disruption.

感知到可预测性缺失可诱发心理应激。在圈养环境中，针对厌恶性事件的可靠信号能够为动物提供行为与生理层面的准备契机。针对厌恶性饲养管理事件的可靠且独特的信号提示，是否能够降低动物对带有不可靠提示的管理事件的反应性？
本研究以两个大型混合性别群体的户外圈养恒河猴（Macaca mulatta）为对象，记录了它们对发生在周边或涉及自身的饲养管理事件的反应；实验阶段引入了与捕捉事件绑定的信号。饲养管理事件的严重程度与动物引发的反应强度各不相同。
研究结果证实：捕捉事件相较于间接涉及实验动物的管理事件更具干扰性，但与涉及直接互动的管理事件的干扰程度相当。使用该信号可降低动物对那些与捕捉事件共享不可靠提示的常规饲养管理事件的厌恶性反应。鉴于这类常规管理事件数量繁多，我们认为，引入该信号所带来的改变价值，可通过多项干扰程度的衡量指标体现出可被观测到的改善。