Effect of intervention on abnormal behaviour of retired laboratory chimpanzees

Abstract

This study focusses on the behaviour of retired laboratory chimpanzees which were placed at the sanctuary of Stichting AAP, Rescue Center for Exotic Animals, the Netherlands. Due to their personal background as laboratory animals, the chimpanzees probably suffer from problems that resemble mood and anxiety disorders in humans and consequently display abnormal behaviour. Intervention strategies are set up in order to reduce the amount of abnormal behaviour. Group A receives no intervention and acts as a control group. Group B receives a more stimulating diet and enrichment. Group C receives the same diet and enrichment as group B and receives pharmacological treatment with antidepressant sertraline (Zoloft) in addition. All groups consist of adult males and females. Together with already collected data from other students, data of twenty weeks of focal observation on all individuals will be statistically tested in order to investigate whether or not there is significant difference in the amount of abnormal behaviour between the three groups of chimpanzees. This study might give insight in the possible ways of reducing abnormal behaviour in ex-laboratory chimpanzees and a possible increase in normal behaviour.