Abstract
In the wild, capuchin monkeys spend approximately 50% of their active time performing foraging behaviors, which include traveling to and searching for familiar locations that contain seasonally variable food resources. However, in captivity, they exhibit passive foraging behaviors, with fixed feeding schedules, and consume consistent types and amounts of foods throughout the year. This change in feeding conditions has several effects on the captive as well as wild monkeys, including an impact on their well-being. In this study, we examined the relationship between feeding schedules and the behavior of captive monkeys to determine the best feeding method for these animals. We investigated the effect of 4 different daily feeding schedules (6, 4, 3, and 2 feeds per day) on the behavior and social relationships in a group of 7 tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) held in captivity at Yumemigasaki Zoological Park in Kawasaki, Japan. Each feeding schedule differed in terms of interval (1, 1.75, 2.5, and 5 h) and ration size (0.65, 1.0, 1.3, and 2.0 kg); however, the total amount of food per day was kept constant. The feeding schedule was randomly varied each day. Data on behavior were collected for 6 hours per day from 0930 to 1530 hours, and focal-animal sampling was performed on each animal for 10 min by using 1-0 sampling at 10-s intervals. When the number of feeds was increased above the original 2 feeds per day, animals showed reduced social behavior (6 feeds), reduced manipulation (3, 4, and 6 feeds), and diversified foraging behaviors (4 and 6 feeds) during the feeding session and increased social behavior (3 feeds) during the inter-feeding session. These results provide important information on methods to improve the welfare of captive primates.
