Investigation of the Behavioural Response of a Colony of Group-Housed Hamadryas Baboons (Papio Cynocephalus Hamadryas) to Relocation to a More Naturalistic Enclosure

<p>As part of Wellington Zoo’s current management philosophy to reduce the number of species and increase enclosure size, quality and appropriateness for those remaining animals, the zoo’s colony of hamadryas baboons (Papio cynocephalus hamadryas) was relocated within the zoo to a purpose-designed and more naturalistic exhibit. The primary objective of this investigation was to determine group and individual responses of five of these baboons to their new enclosure. In so doing, this investigation was intended to address the shortage of quantitative, species-specific information on environmental enrichment for Papio baboons (Kessel and Brent 1996). The data collection method used in this investigation consisted of fifteen-minute focal sampling of each of the five focal animals in the two months before and the month following the colony’s relocation. For the purposes of this investigation, these focal samples were initially analysed together, prior to each focal animal being considered independently. Analysis of data extracted from these focal samples included consideration of: • The overall occurrence of individual behaviours between the former and new enclosures; • Additions to the animals’ behavioural repertoires upon relocation; and, • Time the animals spent alone and interacting socially. Upon the colony’s relocation, changes in the combined focal animals’ behaviour were anticipated as a result of greater space, areas of privacy, and increased environmental variation. Focal sampling revealed increasingly naturalistic behaviours, including a reduction in vacuum and vestigial behaviours, and an increase in speciestypical behaviour. Results also indicated that the combined focal animals experienced unexpectedly low levels of “agonistic” (i.e. aggressive) behaviour in both enclosures. However, there was a reduction in some associated behaviours upon the colony’s relocation. This included a decline in male rivalry over females. Differences in the responses of individual focal animals to relocation were also anticipated. Of particular interest were results indicating an increasing similarity of individual roles within one-male units to those of free-ranging hamadryas baboons. These roles were associated with both age and sex. This study raises implications for improving the current management of the Wellington Zoo colony and other captive hamadryas baboon colonies. These include emphasising the importance of appropriate husbandry and feeding schedules. It also raises implications for the future management of other captive Papio baboon colonies in terms of enclosure redesign. These include the benefit of incorporating naturally occurring environmental factors, such as natural leaf litter. This study is also of value from a management perspective as a baseline for future investigations. Such investigations could include long-term monitoring of this colony’s use of environmental enrichment in the new enclosure and consideration of the animals’ behaviour as the colony is encouraged to expand.</p>

Investigation of the Behavioural Response of a Colony of Group-Housed Hamadryas Baboons (Papio Cynocephalus Hamadryas) to Relocation to a More Naturalistic Enclosure

<p>As part of Wellington Zoo’s current management philosophy to reduce the number of species and increase enclosure size, quality and appropriateness for those remaining animals, the zoo’s colony of hamadryas baboons (Papio cynocephalus hamadryas) was relocated within the zoo to a purpose-designed and more naturalistic exhibit. The primary objective of this investigation was to determine group and individual responses of five of these baboons to their new enclosure. In so doing, this investigation was intended to address the shortage of quantitative, species-specific information on environmental enrichment for Papio baboons (Kessel and Brent 1996). The data collection method used in this investigation consisted of fifteen-minute focal sampling of each of the five focal animals in the two months before and the month following the colony’s relocation. For the purposes of this investigation, these focal samples were initially analysed together, prior to each focal animal being considered independently. Analysis of data extracted from these focal samples included consideration of: • The overall occurrence of individual behaviours between the former and new enclosures; • Additions to the animals’ behavioural repertoires upon relocation; and, • Time the animals spent alone and interacting socially. Upon the colony’s relocation, changes in the combined focal animals’ behaviour were anticipated as a result of greater space, areas of privacy, and increased environmental variation. Focal sampling revealed increasingly naturalistic behaviours, including a reduction in vacuum and vestigial behaviours, and an increase in speciestypical behaviour. Results also indicated that the combined focal animals experienced unexpectedly low levels of “agonistic” (i.e. aggressive) behaviour in both enclosures. However, there was a reduction in some associated behaviours upon the colony’s relocation. This included a decline in male rivalry over females. Differences in the responses of individual focal animals to relocation were also anticipated. Of particular interest were results indicating an increasing similarity of individual roles within one-male units to those of free-ranging hamadryas baboons. These roles were associated with both age and sex. This study raises implications for improving the current management of the Wellington Zoo colony and other captive hamadryas baboon colonies. These include emphasising the importance of appropriate husbandry and feeding schedules. It also raises implications for the future management of other captive Papio baboon colonies in terms of enclosure redesign. These include the benefit of incorporating naturally occurring environmental factors, such as natural leaf litter. This study is also of value from a management perspective as a baseline for future investigations. Such investigations could include long-term monitoring of this colony’s use of environmental enrichment in the new enclosure and consideration of the animals’ behaviour as the colony is encouraged to expand.</p>

Spectroscopic Measurement of Methylene Blue Distribution in Organs and Tissues of Hamadryas Baboons during Oral Administration

New research on Methylene Blue (MB), carried out in 2020, shows that it can be an effective antiviral drug as part of COVID-19 treatment. According to the research findings, MB has potential as a direct antiviral drug for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 in the first stages of the disease. However, the MB accumulation by various types of tissues, as well as by immune cells, has not been previously studied. Therefore, the objective of this study was to obtain spectral data on the interstitial distribution of the administered drug in endothelial tissues in primates. The data on interstitial MB distribution obtained by spectroscopic measurement at both macro- and microlevels during oral administration to Hamadryas baboon individuals demonstrate that MB accumulates in mucous membranes of gastrointestinal tract and the tissues of the respiratory, cardiovascular, immune, and nervous systems. Additionally, it was found that MB was present in lung and brain myeloid cells in significant concentrations, which makes it potentially useful for protection from autoimmune response (cytokine storm) and as a tool for the correction of immunocompetent cells’ functional state during laser irradiation. Since the cytokine storm starts from monocytic cells during SARS-CoV-2 cellular damage and since tumor-associated macrophages can significantly alter tumor metabolism, accumulation of MB in these cells provides a reason to conclude that the immune response correction in COVID-19 patients and change in macrophages phenotype can be achieved by deactivation of inflammatory macrophages in tissues with MB using laser radiation of red spectral range.

Baboon bearing resemblance in pigmentation pattern to Siamese cat carries a missense mutation in the tyrosinase gene

An infant hamadryas baboon exhibiting an albino phenotype—white body hair and red eyes—was born to parents with wild-type body color. Pigmentation on some parts of its body surfaced during childhood and progressed with age. This baboon in adulthood has gray hair on parts of its body, such as the tail, distal portion of the legs, and face, with the remainder being white. This pigmentation pattern resembles that of the Siamese cat and the Himalayan variants of the mouse and the mink. The distinguishing phenotypes in these animals are known to be caused by a temperature-sensitive activity of tyrosinase, an enzyme essential for biosynthesis of melanin. We sequenced all the five exons of the tyrosinase (TYR) gene of this albino baboon, which were amplified by PCR, and found a base substitution leading to alteration of the 365th amino acid from Ala to Thr. Tyrosinase requires copper as a cofactor for its enzyme function. It has two copper-binding sites, the second of which contains His residues in positions 363 and 367 that are critical to its function. Thus, p.(Ala365Thr) due to a mutation in the TYR gene is a likely candidate for the cause of the albino phenotype in this baboon.

The microbiome of captive hamadryas baboon

Hamadryas baboon is a highly social primate that lives in complex multilevel societies exhibiting a wide range of group behaviors akin to humans. Here, we report the comprehensive 16s rRNA gene analyses of group-living baboon microbiota across different body sites. Additionally, we compared the baboon and human microbiome of the oral cavity, gut and vagina. Our analyses show that the baboon microbiome is distinct from the human and baboon cohabitants share similar microbial profiles in multiple body sites. The oral, gut and vagina shared more bacterial ASVs in group-living baboons than in humans. The shared ASVs in baboons had significantly positive correlations, suggesting a potential bacterial exchange throughout the body. No significant differences in baboon gut microbiome composition within the maternity line and between maternity lines were detected, suggesting that the offspring acquire their gut microbiota primarily through bacterial exchange among cohabitants. Besides, Lactobacillus was not so predominant in baboon vagina as in the human vagina but was the most abundant genus in baboon gut. These data and findings can form the basis of future microbiome studies in baboons and be used as a reference to research where the microbiome is expected to impact human modeling with baboons.

A Pilot Study for Estimating the Cardiopulmonary Signals of Diverse Exotic Animals Using a Digital Camera

Monitoring the cardiopulmonary signal of animals is a challenge for veterinarians in conditions when contact with a conscious animal is inconvenient, difficult, damaging, distressing or dangerous to personnel or the animal subject. In this pilot study, we demonstrate a computer vision-based system and use examples of exotic, untamed species to demonstrate this means to extract the cardiopulmonary signal. Subject animals included the following species: Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), African lions (Panthera leo), Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae), koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), red kangaroo (Macropus rufus), alpaca (Vicugna pacos), little blue penguin (Eudyptula minor), Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) and Hamadryas baboon (Papio hamadryas). The study was done without need for restriction, fixation, contact or disruption of the daily routine of the subjects. The pilot system extracts the signal from the abdominal-thoracic region, where cardiopulmonary activity is most likely to be visible using image sequences captured by a digital camera. The results show motion on the body surface of the subjects that is characteristic of cardiopulmonary activity and is likely to be useful to estimate physiological parameters (pulse rate and breathing rate) of animals without any physical contact. The results of the study suggest that a fully controlled study against conventional physiological monitoring equipment is ethically warranted, which may lead to a novel approach to non-contact physiological monitoring and remotely sensed health assessment of animals. The method shows promise for applications in veterinary practice, conservation and game management, animal welfare and zoological and behavioral studies.