The Psychological Well-Being of Nonhuman Primates

A 1985 amendment to the Animal Welfare Act requires those who keep nonhuman primates to develop and follow appropriate plans for promoting the animals' psychological well-being. The amendment, however, provides few specifics.

The Psychological Well-Being of Nonhuman Primates recommends practical approaches to meeting those requirements. It focuses on what is known about the psychological needs of primates and makes suggestions for assessing and promoting their well-being.

This volume examines the elements of an effective care program—social companionship, opportunities for species-typical activity, housing and sanitation, and daily care routines—and provides a helpful checklist for designing a plan for promoting psychological well-being.

The book provides a wealth of specific and useful information about the psychological attributes and needs of the most widely used and exhibited nonhuman primates. Readable and well-organized, it will be welcomed by animal care and use committees, facilities administrators, enforcement inspectors, animal advocates, researchers, veterinarians, and caretakers.

Table of Contents

• Front Matter
• Executive Summary
• Introduction
• 1. Principles of Psychological Well-Being of Nonhuman Primates
• 2. Essentials of a Program to Provide Psychological Well-Being
• 3. General Care and Psychological Well-Being
• 4. Effect of Special Research Conditions on Psychological Well-Being
• 5. Prosimians
• 6. New World Monkeys: Callitrichids
• 7. New World Monkeys: Cebids
• 8. Old World Monkeys: Cercopithecids
• 9. Apes: Hominoids
• 10. Research Needs
• References
• Appendix A Samples of Nonhuman-Primate Environmental-Enhancement Plans
• Appendix B Examples of Infectious Diseases That Preclude the Safe Housing of Mixed Genera of Nonhuman Primates
• Appendix C Biographical Sketches of Authoring Committee
• Index
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