ENVIRONMENTAL ENRICHMENT PROGRAM

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Introduction: The environmental enrichment and behavioral research programs continued move forward in 2008. Methods: A Primate Enrichment Manager position was created to support an elaborated enrichment program. Continued progress was made in increasing the use of social housing for research animals and the implementation of a variety of enrichment techniques. The practice of moving monkeys from the same breeding groups directly into pair caging for research assignment has become routine, and has in some cases eliminated the use of single housing and in others reduced the duration of single housing. Results/Discussion: Implementation levels have risen for feeding enrichment, portable objects, and perching. Significant increases in the complexity of animal caging have been accomplished via the addition of hanging devices to 1000 cages and foraging devices to 600 cages. Increased emphasis on data collection and objective assessments is guiding decisions regarding programmatic changes and the management of individual animals. Positive reinforcement training activities fostered cooperative feeding to reduce aggression and compliance with several research procedures. Enrichment program staff systematically contributed to new employee training and continuing education. The Environmental Enrichment and Behavioral Research Coordinator conducts collaborative research with scientists and graduate students in the Department of Pharmacology at the Tulane University School of Medicine, the Tulane University Center for Gene Therapy, the Department of Psychology at Southeastern Louisiana University, and the Department of Animal Resources at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center.