Hello everyone!
I have created this page to help spread information about primates in captivity and post updates about the progress of my Master's dissertation research. I am currently raising funds to help make this research possible at: http://www.gofundme.com/7b8evo. Much more information to come, but here is an introduction to my research and the amazing animals I will be working with!
I will be conducting my Master's dissertation research at OPR Coastal Primate Sanctuary
in Longview, WA, where I will be studying stress and abnormal behavior
in primates that have been retired from research or previously owned as
pets. This research will not only help the primates at OPR live
healthier, happier lives, but help give researchers and caregivers a
better understanding of the needs of primates in captivity. All
donations will go towards making this research possible and any excess
funds will go directly to the care of the OPR primates.
Thank you for your support and please read more below to learn more about my research and the primates of OPR!
The OPR Primates:
I
will be working with 10 macaques, all with very unique needs. They all
come from compromised rearing backgrounds and many of them have been
abused and neglected. As a result, many of them have developed abnormal
behaviors that have interefered with the rehabilitation process and even
resulted in self-inflicted injury. With your help, these monkeys will
have a better chance of recovery and living a full, stress-free life.
Meet some of the macaques!
Tyler
Tyler
has been diagnosed with autism, which has made it difficult to pair him
with another macaque for housing. He was turned over to OPR by his
owner when she realized he was not a suitable pet.
Eve
Eve
was kept in a small parakeet cage by her previous owners, and has
developed the habits of sucking her thumb and bouncing in place. These
behaviors have decreased since coming to OPR but have not completely
stopped.
Summer
Before
Summer came to OPR she suffered 17 years of cruel abuse. She was kept
illegally by owners that forced her to wear clothes and had all of her
teeth removed. She came to OPR malnourished and permanently disfigured
from wearing a diaper for so many years. Summer has improved drastically
since coming to OPR but still displays many atypical and self-harming
behaviors.
OPR has already done so much to help these macaques and many others. Learn more by visiting their website!
My Research:
I
will investigate physiological, behavioral, and cognitive measures of
well-being and then combine these results to create individualized
treatment plans, taking into account the history and unique needs of
each primate.
What makes my research unique?
I will use a
measure of emotional state that has only been investigated twice in
primates. Previous research on humans has found that a person's
emotional state affects how they make decisions, with a negative
emotional state leading them to expect negative outcomes, and a positive
emotional state leading them to anticipate positive outcomes. I will
adapt this idea to primates by examining the choices they make when
presented with ambiguous stimuli.
Also, most research on
rehabiliation efforts use only one measure of stress and address major
problems at a group level. I will be using three different measures of
well-being (stress hormone levels, prevelence of abnormal behavior, and
positive/negative emotional state) and will then address problems on an
individual level, taking into account the unique preferences, needs, and
backgrounds of each animal.
All donations will go towards
paying for hormonal analysis, cognitive testing equipment and food
rewards, and enrichment materials.
Thank you for your support!
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