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Physical anthropologists that study the feeding behavior of wild primates report that many haplorhine and strepsirhine species consume the gum exuded from trees. These gum feeding primates include, but are not limited to, some of the Lemuridae, Galagidae, Callitrichinae, and Cercopithecinae. Although gum plays varying degrees of importance in their...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... the wild gummivore diet often places a heavy emphasis on insectivory, insect houses and plantings that encourage insects to visit are effective forms of environmental enrichment for primates that feed on exudates in the wild. See Figure 5 for the creative device used by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. This device serves as an insect house, and encourages a self-sustaining insect population. ...
Citations
... The authors would like to examine the long term effectiveness of gum enrichment devices, as well as their effect on other behaviors such as locomotor stereotypies. They would also hope to collaborate with other institutions on the implementation of this enrichment treatment for other colonies of patas, as well as vervets, and baboons, who are also presently lacking in gum-enrichment (Huber 2009). ...
In the wild, patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas) consume Acacia spp. gum for about 20% of their active time (Isbell 1998). While providing gum-based enrichment to other gummivorous primates is not a unique idea, there have been no reports of captive patas monkeys receiving gum enrichment (Huber 2009). Gum is not nutritionally required in the captive diet, but this form of enrichment may encourage naturalistic behaviors for a species noted to lack motivation with other devices (personal observation). Environmental enrichment is designed to promote species typical behavior, and natural behaviors should be considered when developing and assessing enrichment methods (Lutz & Novak 2005).
... McGrew et al. [1986] provide instructions for building a log feeder with an internal reservoir, which must be gouged to access the gum. Instructions for a simple log feeder design that does not require gouging for access to the gum are available from Huber [2009]. Both these types of log feeders are designed primarily for callitrichids and galagos. ...
In the wild, many primates consume gums exuded from trees, and many species are gum specialists. In spite of this, few data exist concerning gum feeding in captivity. Using a web-based survey of 46 zoos in 12 countries, we evaluated the extent to which zoos feed gum to primates. We found that although callitrichids and galagos receive gum-based enrichment, cercopithecines generally do not. Environmental enrichment is important for stimulating naturalistic behavior to promote the psychological wellbeing of animals. Thus, gum-based enrichment is important for captive gummivores. Our study highlights the need to improve environmental enrichment for captive gummivores, in particular that of cercopithecines. This is most striking for the patas monkey (Erythrocebus patas), an obligate gummivore. The exchange of ecological data between field research and captive settings is crucial, and is just one way primate caretakers can contribute to the conservation and welfare of some of our closest living relatives.
The use of environmental enrichment is commonplace in zoos, aquariums, sanctuaries and other facilities and aims to enhance the lives of animals under human care by promoting natural behaviours. There are various types of enrichment used including food-based, sensory, manipulative and novel. Enrichment programmes can be created by listing the options for each type of enrichment and, using a 4-week timetable, can be planned by the caregivers to ensure that enrichment is not overused but is always provided. As animals age, the enrichment items offered may require adaptation to ensure safe use and lack of frustration or engagement by the individual. This chapter will describe the types of enrichment available and the use of the timetable system and end with practical ways to adapt enrichment for the older animals.
In the 25 years since the last synthesis on this topic was published, there has been a marked increase in the appreciation
of exudativory as a primate dietary strategy and investigations of its morphological correlates that appear to be adaptations
to exudates as food. At least 75 species of primates consume some exudates. Variability of diet among marmosets and tamarins
precludes simple classifications of the former as year-round specialists vs. the latter as always facultative seasonal users
of exudates. Differences in exudate use among callithrichines, now also including callimico as an exudativore, are associated
with apparent adaptations in gut anatomy and functioning, a suite of dental and jaw features, and some features of socioecology
and life-history. Among strepsirrhines, several Nycticebus species are newly known to gouge to eat gum, variability among mouse lemurs in gum use has been documented, but little added
work has improved our knowledge of variation in exudate use in galagos. For these taxa, much less is understood about possible
morphological, behavioral and life-history adaptations and detailed descriptions of behaviors associated with exudate acquisition
are needed from the field. The ability to identify anatomical features that will clarify the role of exudates in the diets
of fossil primates remains a major challenge.
