Laboratory Primate Newsletter

VOLUME 39 NUMBER 3 JULY 2000

CONTENTS

Wooden Objects for Enrichment: A Discussion......1

Female Reproductive Advertisement and Social Factors Affecting the Sexual Behavior of Captive Spider Monkeys, by R. Pastor-Nieto......5

Report from the Nairobi CITES Conference, April 10-20, 2000, by S. McGreal......10

Recognition and Alleviation of Pain and Distress in Laboratory Animals, by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS)......11

News, Information, and Announcements

Addendum to the Directory of Graduate Programs in Primatology and Primate Research......10

Announcements from Publications......12
... Reviewers for Journal of Comparative Psychology; Society & Animals; Science and Animal Care; The Infectious Disease Review

Travelers' Health Notes......13
... Imported Dengue - United States, 1997 and 1998; Yellow Fever from Venezuela, 1999; International Assn for Medical Assistance to Travelers

Information Requested and Available......15
... De Brazza's Monkeys; Primate Enrichment Database; TechTips Database; Topics in Primate Conservation; More Interesting Web Sites

Meeting Announcements......16

News Briefs......17
... Sherry Washburn Dies at 88; Nim, Sign Language Chimp, Dies at Age 26; Michael Gorilla Dies; Nikko Says, "Don't Feed the Monkeys"; Office Status for Division of Animal Welfare; New Monkey Species Discovered; Paranthropus robustus Skull Found; Texas Snow Monkey Sanctuary Joins API; NIH Takes Charge of Coulston Chimps; Changes at ILAR; Delta Airlines Will No Longer Ship Nonhuman Primates

Grants Available......19
... Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project Pre-Proposals; NIMH Exploratory/Developmental Grants; New Grants in Medical Research

Research and Educational Opportunities......20
... Fieldwork on Endangered Species; Postdoctoral Fellowship: Baboons; Postdoc Residency - Pennsylvania

Positions Available......21
... Clinical Laboratory Animal Veterinarian - Maryland; Clinical Veterinarian - Tulane RPRC; Primate Technicians - Georgia; Animal Program Director - Baltimore; Oread, Connecticut; Laboratory Animal Veterinarian - Pittsburgh; Chimpanzee Care Supervisor - California; Primate Clinical Veterinarian - Oregon; Caribbean Primate Research Center

Awards Granted......24
... AZA President's Award to Don Lindburg; APA Award for Mastripieri; 1999 "Breakthrough of the Year"

Workshop Announcements......25
... Sedation, Immobilization, and Anesthesia; Ethology and Conservation

Resources Wanted and Available......26
... Artist/Primatologist; Books Available; Establishment of a Tumor Register at the DPZ; Palm Prints; Ethologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

Volunteer Opportunities......36
... Chimpanzee Caregiver - California; Field Assistants - Thailand

Departments

Address Changes......25

Primates de las Américas...La Página......27

Recent Books and Articles......28

* * *

Wooden Objects for Enrichment: A Discussion

Katie Eckert, University of San Francisco:
We do not currently use wood with our Old World monkeys. The vets gave the following reasons: *difficult to sanitize and keep clean *risk of splinters, choking, or other harm *wooden perches can't be used in squeeze cages (we use folding perches from BioEnvironmental Modifiers). We do use manzanita branches in the cages for our common marmosets and squirrel monkeys. They get constant, heavy use as perches, and the marmosets gouge mercilessly on the branches for scent marking.

We also use pine/oak dowels in sections on 2-ft stainless steel threaded rods as gum feeders (originally purchased from K.L.A.S.S., but now manufactured in-house). Each dowel section has five holes drilled in to it close to the surface which are filled monthly with acacia gum purchased from Bioserv. The marmosets use these for perching and scent-marking as well as chewing through the “bark” to access the gum, and I would say that it's by far the most successful and heavily used enrichment we have for them. None of these wood products have ever caused health problems or clogged drains that I am aware of.

Carol Niemeyer, Oregon RPRC:
We give some of our rhesus macaques pieces (about 6” long and 1” to 1½” in diameter) of cherry wood and/or vine maple. It is perhaps their favorite toy. Most accept it immediately, and begin peeling the bark. It can plug our smaller, older drains, so in those areas we place a screen under the monkey's cage. Screening is cut to approximately the size of the bottom of the cage, and the edges are dipped in “Plastidip”, a type of paint, to cover the sharp edges and prevent injuries to staff or animals. Wood dropped on the screen is dumped into the trash.

Rather than risk plugged drains by giving wood to many animals in one area, we usually provide wood to those monkeys who would benefit most from the extra enrichment, e.g., overgroomers. I also give pieces of wood to each monkey during pairings in which the monkeys being paired are especially tense, so that they can redirect their tension. In those cases, I recommend against placing screens under the cage during the pairing, to avoid further frightening the monkeys, and suggest cleaning up the dropped wood by hand later.

There has not been a problem noted with mold. The monkeys peel or chew the wood down to small bits pretty quickly, and any leftovers are removed when a new piece is given, usually within a month.

One concern: very rarely a monkey will actually swallow bits of wood, as is possible with many chewable toys. It is important to watch for pieces of wood in the feces, and discontinue giving wood to that monkey. I have only seen this once in maybe four years, however.

We do not use wooden perches, because of the drains and the concern about keeping a larger piece of wood sanitary enough to avoid transmission of bacteria.

I feel that wood is one of the favorite enrichment items of the monkeys, perhaps due to its naturalness. If you want to receive a sample of cherry wood or vine maple to try with your monkeys, contact the person who supplies ours: Mike Cook, e-mail address: <cookmi@ohsu.edu>>.

Anonymous:
I worked in a lab in England which had wooden perches and swings for the rhesus macaques. The monkeys constantly chewed on the perches until they were completely destroyed and had to be replaced. Then the destruction process would start all over again. The monkeys never lost interest in the perches. The only trouble we had was that as the monkeys chewed the wood away the nails holding the perch together were exposed. We had to keep a careful eye out for this and remove the nails before the monkeys could. We made swings out of both branches and wooden planks. The monkeys used to chew on those as well, but not as much as the perches.

We never had any health problems as a result of the wood nor was sanitation a problem. However, we had only four monkeys. We could keep very good watch on what was happening with the swings and perches. I would recommend using wooden objects for enrichment only on a small scale and in carefully monitored environments.

Rachel W. Rogers, Parrot Jungle and Gardens:
In many of the zoos I have worked in, wood is used in the form of live plants and cut branches for perching. Apes, prosimians, New World and Old World species all receive wooden toys and branch segments. The types of trees used are pine, eucalyptus (cut branches only – not growing trees), oak, ficus sp., walnut, pecan, and Indian laurel trees, to name a few. Also store-bought untreated timbers, plywood, and various sized wood planks.

With respect to health problems for the animals, it is wise to consult with the vet staff about disinfection protocols, particularly for species that scent-mark their environment. Any chemicals remaining on the wood may be harmful.

Some prosimians would not only scent-mark the wood, but also use their teeth to mark grooves. They would also perch on the wood more than on metal objects in their enclosures. This may have been for comfort – metal or cement conduct heat and cold more than wood does.

Some animals lost interest in the wooden objects. At first they were very busy removing bark. Some of the branches would have insects, which the primates ate. It seemed their interest would decline after all the bark was removed.

We recommend this kind of enrichment, but if using food with the wooden objects, it is important to consider how to clean food off the wood. Cleaning gum from a gum feeder is different than cleaning a raisin board.

Jurgen Seier, Experimental Biology Programme Primate Unit, South Africa:
We have been using wood extensively in our vervet monkey facility (about 300 monkeys, indoors), and in our communal cages we make climbing apparatus from wood. Wood perches for resting were also installed but they use the metal perches equally. The vervets use the wood as described for other species, gnawing, stripping the bark and climbing. They eventually reduce smaller and medium branches to a single pole. We find this destruction desirable since it keeps them occupied for hours. We install some branches horizontally so that they can still move a bit. The vervets do not lose interest in the wood as they do in other inanimate objects which we have tried. Particularly the adults have not been all that keen to “fiddle” with various loose objects which we have placed inside the cages. There is obviously the problem of sanitation but we replace the wood regularly and autoclave it before we place it inside the cage (luckily we have a very large autoclave). Neither clogging of drains nor mold has occurred; nor have injuries. We also drill holes into short stubs of wood, fill them with soft food items and give them to individuals which have to be singly caged for a time (in projects). When they finish poking the food out, they gnaw the wood. However, not all use this with the same amount of interest. The stubs are autoclaved regularly and eventually discarded and replaced. We consider wood our most important enrichment tool.

Bob Ingersoll and Linda Barklay, Mindy's Memory Primate Sanctuary:
Here at the Sanctuary (see <Mindysmem.org>) we use apple, peach, and maple branches as much as our trees permit. We also use some native blackjack oak. The monkeys don't eat the wood, but do strip the bark off. The maple holds up quite well. We also use bamboo when we can and the monkeys seem to enjoy it. We use lumber from the local hardware store as necessary for perches and runs above ground that we construct inside our enclosures. We also use plywood for constructing above-ground platforms and outside warming houses. The monkeys do not chew on the plywood. We also use landscape timbers to construct climbing structures.

Cobie Brinkman, Australian National University:
For socially housed juvenile Macaca nemestrina and adult male M. fascicularis, we use wooden objects for enrichment, as well as wooden perches made from hardwood. The latter may be solid but the animals prefer seats made of two or three 2” slats spaced 2-3” apart, with rounded edges to the top surface, since these allow the animals to sit more comfortably, and in a more natural position (especially fascicularis, which tend to sit with rounded back when relaxed; they “rest” their ischial callosities against the rear edge of one slat, with the tail hanging down in the space in between). Using round poles might be even more comfortable, as this shape was preferred in our steel perches but round wooden poles are not only expensive but also hard to fix.

We give our animals wooden toys, made of a medium-soft wood, red cedar, since (untreated) pine was too soft. For no particular reason, our workshop made these toys in the shape of a barbell, with 4” diameter, 2” thick discs at each end. The discs taper into a 4” long, 1-1.5” thick central handhold (grip). The animals manipulate them, carry them, and chew them, pulling off slivers of wood (why pine was too soft!), but were never observed to ingest wood. Note though that cedar may cause changes in liver enzymes if ingested! My monkeys, who had many enrichments available, used to love the wooden toys and spent a lot of time with them, reducing them to kindling slivers in little more than a week, a much more intensive use then that reported by Reinhardt for his “gnawing sticks”. Differences include shape, type of wood, and availability, with our animals receiving these toys irregularly. Other animals, given hard wood blocks (4x4x6”) would only use them to sit on, with an occasional chew at the (rounded) edges. These blocks were rather too heavy and chunky for easy “transport” and manipulation.

Our animals occasionally receive willow or poplar branch segments as browse. However, in all our social cages, hardwood branches are used to provide climbing opportunities. Branches are attached to the cage walls and to each other with loops of metal wire; some to thick chains which themselves are clipped onto the cage walls. By moving the clips and chains, the environmental structure can be changed easily to provide new challenges. Some horizontal branches on chains are suspended with a strong coil spring between chain and clip. Such branches bounce when animals jump on them and I like to think this mimics real forest life! Adult males use these trampoline branches in dominance displays.

The animals' “woodchipping” activities with their toys left a lot of debris. First sweeping and removing debris from the floor, then covering the drain with a mesh when hosing prevented serious clogging of the drains. Since cleaning was daily, there never was mold; nor did mold develop on “left over” toy bits, or on wooden cage fixtures. We have not observed any health problems, but note the caveat on use of cedar if doing metabolic studies.

Our animals only lost interest after the barbells had been just about reduced to a small lump! Given intermittently, they were of continued interest, and used, over several years.

Our macaques certainly seemed to enjoy the wood as toys, but I don't know if they are superior to other toys. Large plastic bottles could be given every day, with food items sometimes in them, and never clog drains; you only have to pick up the pieces. As to the slat-like perches, there is probably no advantage over steel fittings, design being more important than material. However, having a “natural” climbing frame with odd angles that changed, and different shapes and diameters, plus bounce, seems to improve and enhance locomotion. In addition, branch forks were favored perching sites. Little or no gnawing was done on these branches (rock hard! mostly sundried redgum used here for termite-proof, just about everlasting, fence posts and railway sleepers [“ties” in the U.S. Thanks to Track Maintenance Equipment Ltd, of Surrey, for clearing this up for us– Ed.]).

Sophie Oliver, Auckland Zoo:
We use wood a lot for enrichment at the Zoo, partly because it is readily available and cheap, and also because it is natural, so it works well in naturalistic exhibits.

Gibbons, orangutans, chimps, squirrel monkeys, macaques, and spider monkeys get logs with holes drilled out and packed with small fruit pieces, rice, popcorn, or a müseli-type mixture. For the smaller species (lemurs, tamarins, and squirrel monkeys), bamboo pipes can be suspended in the enclosure for artificial gum feeders and food dispensers (also good for dispensing insects such as mealworms). This works well for using fingers and tools to extract the food. Perhaps plugs are necessary for the chimps and orangutans now that they are pretty efficient at removing the contents.

All our primates have wooden perches, trees, or branching and climbing apparatus made from wood.

We give rotten logs with grubs in them to the siamangs, macaques, chimps, orangutans, and lemurs. They are investigated and ripped apart even if the contents aren't always eaten. Large branches for browse are put into all enclosures and even unused/unsold Christmas trees have been given to the chimps to investigate.

Any wood that is nontoxic is fine; our horticultural team helps with this. We get untreated scrap wood from carpenters or from trees which must be removed from the grounds. Wooden perches are cleaned daily with a low-hazardous cleaner. When necessary they are water-blasted or cleaned with a stronger disinfectant. Swinging branches work well, mainly for spider monkeys and siamangs, but have not been used extensively at the Zoo.

Having lots of branches available makes it easy for us to spear whole fruits onto them and to hide food in bark creases, etc., providing more interest and increased activity within the exhibits, e.g., for lemurs, squirrel monkeys, and tamarins.

Of course the animals would lose interest in the objects if they were left in the enclosures for good (just as a human child would). So it is important for the items to be rotated and modified to encourage use. We generally provide wooden toys and remove them within 24 hours, so they can be cleaned and filled for someone else!

The only problem we have had with any wooden item is that the chimps have a habit of throwing hefty objects about, and so we give them loose wooden objects only when they are in their inside dens.

I cannot see any reason why well-chosen wooden objects should not be used as part of an enrichment scheme. They can be cleaned like any other item and we have not experienced hygiene or behavioral problems as a result. One thing to ensure is that there are enough enrichments for all of the animals in an exhibit – if there is not much else for the animals to do, competition might result.

Cindy Buckmaster, SUNY, Stony Brook:
We've been giving our colony Wisconsin Gnawing Sticks (red oak branches) for months. They adore them and spend quite a bit of time biting and peeling them. We replace them every three months and have had no problems with health or clogged drains. They've also been given to other monkeys in our facility that were chronically exhibiting self-injurious behavior, and the sticks seem to have helped. As for my boys, they love them.

Lisa Knowles, Wisconsin RPRC:
All of the rhesus macaques housed at the WRPRC (approximately 1300) have full-time access to wood on a regular basis. We use sections of red oak, which are very popular with the monkeys and cause almost no drain problems and no health problems. We are however, careful about presenting wood to animals who have pre-existing health conditions that might be exacerbated. Our monkeys make the most use of the wood in the first few days after they receive a new piece (we change wood every three months, or sooner if necessary). After the first few days the animals still make use of the wood as cage furniture, toys to manipulate, or part of aggression displays.

Chris Pyle, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine:
Since our baboons are in single cages, and not grouped or free ranging, our environment differs from most in this discussion. We were experimentally confined by our research procedures. Since we were recording minute-by-minute interaction data, we modified the wooden “logs” – the logs weren't just tree branches, but more along the line of wooden “devices”, made from cherry wood branch sections (from my backyard), that were seasoned for a year after being cut.

Because our general research is on the study of audition, it was necessary to put our “enrichment” animals into another research area since they created so much noise with the logs, raking them across bars. Due to this tendency of our baboons to make noise with whatever object is in their cage, we cannot use logs as general enrichment devices. I do however, believe that wooden branch material is well received by baboons and, when experimental procedures allow, that they can be used for enrichment. We now leave the “logs” in the cages that we put animals into while their home cages are being sterilized. This “play” cage is equipped with several enrichment devices – log, kong toy, chain.

In our original study of short-term use of wooden logs, the animals showed much greater interest in the logs over the kong and the swing toys (Hienz et al., 1998, this Newsletter, 37[3], 6-10).

The animals rolled the log, picked at it, raked it over the bars, and clutched it. We had no health or sewer problems, but animals at times rolled the logs over fecal matter or urinated over the logs. We would remove the logs once weekly to read the recording devices hidden within them, and we “cleaned” the logs off, but did not sanitize them. Each log would thus be personalized with an animal's scent, and be thrown out at the end of the study.

We studied the question of animals losing interest in logs over a long period in our second paper (Hienz et al., 2000, this Newsletter, 39[2], 1-3). Interestingly enough, some animals became disinterested while others became more and more interested over extended periods of time. As with all our other findings with enrichment devices, interest frequently waxes and wanes with individual animals. I think that a fresh log, given once a month or once every two months, would be a good device to use for large primates that are individually housed. Interest in the logs, of course, began immediately with the removal of the bark, and frequently declined afterwards. Due to this “false positive” beginning, we removed the bark prior to our experiments, but in a general lab setting, I think the animals find a lot of gratification in removing the bark.

And Viktor added: It seems that there is a general con-sensus that wooden objects provide *inexpensive, *safe, *long-term and *effective stimulation for the expression of non-injurious, species-typical behaviors such as perching, gnawing, gouging, manipulating and playing. It is my understanding that routine use of wooden objects is no obstacle to AAALAC International accreditation. Using common sense for the cleaning and replacing of wooden material, as needed, is certainly a prerequisite.

Figure 1: Bobby, the rhesus monkey, with branch segment.

Material of the following trees may be “chewy” for the animals but the critters manage to tear off long strips of bark and wood. Inevitably, this clogs drains in an animal room if many monkeys are simultaneously engrossed in shredding branch material, particularly when it is fresh. If this is a problem in your facility, don't use the following tree species for your enrichment program: *box elder (Acer negundo), *silver maple (Acer saccharinum), *black cherry (Prunus serotina), *white oak (Quercus alba), *black locust (Robinia pseudoaccacia), *white elm (Ulmus americana), *weeping willow (Salix babylonica), and other species which disintegrate into strips.

Red oak (Quercus rubra) branches – cut from dead and relatively dry trees – are not shredded when gnawed, but gradually wear into flakes of bark and wood, so small that even large quantities pass through drains. See <www.brown.edu/Research/Primate/lpn31-2.html#branch>). The study by Line & Morgan (Laboratory Animal Science, 1991, 41, 365-369) suggests that almond tree wood is equally suitable.

When I attempted to install branch-perches in more than 700 cages, I soon ran out of material. Before capitulating, however, I conducted a choice experiment (see this Newsletter, 1990, 29[1], 13-14) which, to my surprise, made it clear that rhesus macaques spend an equal amount of time on a branch – in one section of the double cage – and on a PVC pipe (same diameter; in the other section of the double cage). Obviously the animals showed no preference for branches. This made it very easy for me: all cages were equipped with PVC perches within less than a month.

* * *

Female Reproductive Advertisement and Social Factors Affecting the Sexual Behavior of Captive Spider Monkeys

Introduction

The transmission of messages about the reproductive condition of females is extremely widespread among mammals. Female urogenital signals, particularly those arising during estrus, play the most important role in the chemical signaling of many primate species. Genital scent-marking behavior by females, sniffing and mouthing of female genitalia by males, and even tasting of female urine and vaginal discharges are preludes to sexual arousal by male primates (Epple et al., 1993). As with other chemical signals, female urogenital signals derive from many sources. Besides urine there are specific secretions of the reproductive tract and the accessory sex organs which may be modified by the action of microorganisms inhabiting the vagina. Many species also possess well developed skin glands in the anogenital region (e.g., labial gland, circumgenital glands) which further contribute to the chemical ambience of the genital region of female primates. Five chemical signaling materials have been identified in the female: (1) Urine components. (2) Materials from the upper reproductive tract, such as oviducal, endometrial, and cervical mucus. There are cyclic changes in the cervical lipids (hydrocarbons, glycerides, cholesteryl esters, free fatty acids and phospholipids [Singh et al., 1972]). (3) Materials from the vaginal walls. The vagina is rich in glands and receives exfoliated cells from its surface and transudates of blood plasma. It is also rich in glucose that is transformed into glycogen by enzymes which are stimulated by high estrogen levels (Singh et al, 1972). (4) Secretions of the vulval glands (also called Bartholin's glands). The functions of these secretions are unknown. (5) Materials from the activity of resident vaginal microflora. In human females, lactobacilli and facultative and strict anaerobes have been identified in the vaginal tract. These bacteria are known to use glycogen as a substrate, producing a wide variety of volatile fatty acids such as acetic acid. In the rhesus monkey, acetic and isovaleric acids are known to dominate female vaginal odor (Michael et al., 1972; Larsen et al., 1977).

The effects of vaginal secretions as monitored by male Macaca mulatta were first studied by Michael & Keverne (1968). In platyrrhines, anogenital inspection by males has been described in the dusky titi (Callicebus moloch, Moynihan, 1966), the night monkey (Aotus trivirgatus, Moynihan, 1976), spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi and A. belzebuth, Klein, 1971; Eisenberg & Kuehn, 1990; Chapman & Chapman, 1990) and the woolly spider monkey (Brachyteles arachnoides, Milton, 1985).

Figure 1: External genitalia of female Ateles geoffroyi illustrating the a) glans clitoridis, b) anus and c) sulcus retroglandis adapted from Hill (1963)

The clitoris of the female spider monkey has been a subject of curiosity due to its enormous length (Figure 1; Hill, 1963). This structure is a soft flabby structure more or less resembling the penis but longer (4.7 cm in Ateles belzebuth). Hill (1963) made a detailed description of the clitoris, emphasising its sulcus retroglandis and the pigmented horseshoe-shaped glans clitoridis located at its caudal tip. No studies have been able to explain the evolutionary mechanisms that have favored such a large clitoris in female spider monkeys. Some authors suggest that, because the frugivorous genus Ateles tends to forage individually, females use small quantities of urine retained in the perineal groove (sulcus retroglandis) of the clitoris to leave scent traces in the trees to advertise their reproductive condition (Klein, 1971). Milton (1985) suggests that females travel more when receptive, depositing urine in various places. There is a lack of information concerning the vaginal components that could serve as pheromones in spider monkeys. Hodges et al. (1981) identified estriol, estradiol, and estrone in female spider monkey urine, with estrone in the highest concentrations.

No studies have been carried out to evaluate the influence of familiarity upon the reproductive performance of spider monkeys in captivity, although they are a very common species of primate in Mexican zoos. Also, the effect of length of the external genitalia of females has not yet been evaluated in the sociosexual context.

Objectives

The aims of this paper are to evaluate (1) the role of olfactory inspection (clitoris grasping and sipping urine) of female spider monkey external genitalia as precopulatory sexual behavior by the adult male; (2) the effect of clitoris size upon female sexual attractiveness; and (3) the effect of familiarity between group members on the occurrence of sexual behavior.

Because of the small male sample size (N=2 males), comparisons of male behavior were not possible; therefore, statistical differences were only evaluated among females (as receivers of male sexual behavior).

Materials and Methods

Subjects: Observational data were collected for 15 months from two groups of nine captive black-handed spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi; N = 18) housed at the Centenario Zoo at Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. The study subjects belong to the subspecies A. g. yucatanensis (Dubach, personal communication). Spider monkeys of this species are found in forest patches and in protected rain forest natural reserves of the Yucatan Peninsula.

The two groups studied have different histories. One was a newly formed group, composed of nine wild-caught, unrelated animals of various ages which had been kept as pets since infancy. They had been confiscated by wildlife officials and given to the Zoo. They were kept in individual quarantine before being incorporated into a group. This study began five months later.

The other group studied was an established group, composed of nine captive-born animals that are currently breeding. Unfortunately, there are no records on how long the animals have been together, birth dates, or general reproductive profiles. Paternity tests were performed by the Department of Genetics of the Chicago Zoological Society to determine the group's kinship.

Each group was composed of seven females, one adult male, and one juvenile male. This coincidental similarity between the two groups made it possible to control for group composition.

Because birth dates were not known, age was determined by correlating individuals' eye skin pigmentation (ESP) with age categories. The skin that surrounds the eyes lacks pigmentation in newborns and infants (Eisenberg, 1976). According to Eisenberg, this lack of pigmentation persists until over 14 months of age in Ateles geoffroyi. As the juvenile matures, the face gradually becomes pigmented, except for the skin around the eyes, which can still be pink at 19 months of age. Further development sees the accumulation of more melanin in the dermis and epidermis of the skin surrounding the eyes, forming more and more dark brown freckles.

Each animal was assigned to an age class based on this criterion. Using ESP as a method to approximate age has several possibilities for error including individual variation, size range of age categories, and observational error. However, in the absence of birth records, this indirect measure of approximate age was useful.

Subject environment: During this study the monkeys were housed in basic, temporary accommodations away from the public. Animals from the established group were housed together and never mixed with unfamiliar animals.

Housing: The two groups of black-handed spider monkeys lived in two neighboring enclosures (each 34.8 m2 – or 4.35 m2 per animal), separated by wire mesh. These enclosures are furnished throughout with ropes and tree trunks that enable the monkeys to move in a three-dimensional environment. The sand floors of the cages are renewed every 3-6 months and perches and walls are disinfected every month. Due to the tropical climate of the Yucatan Peninsula, which has an average temperature of 25°C, the animals do not require night enclosures. If isolation of an animal is required, the feeding section is adapted to this purpose. The cages are provided with shelters just above the main perch, where the monkeys normally cluster together hiding from the rain.

Husbandry: As mentioned above, feeding takes place in a special section of the enclosures. This 5 m2 feeding section has a cement floor, over which the keepers disperse fruit. This cement floor is routinely washed prior to feeding. Water is provided here in a bowl.

Food is provided twice a day and consists of a variety of fruits and vegetables (bananas, oranges, papaya, watermelon, carrots, tomatoes, lettuce). Twice a week the animals are provided with freshly cut Brosimum alicastrum, a natural food resource for Ateles in Yucatan. In the evening, commercial dog food or cooked rice or oats is supplied, sometimes with honey or milk and vitamins added. Pregnant and lactating females are supplied with vitamin and mineral supplements; and, as a preventive measure, all monkeys are dewormed every six months with Albendazol (Zentel).

Methods of behavioral sampling: Four sampling methods were utilized: focal animal sampling, scan sampling, ad libitum sampling, and continuous sampling (Altmann, 1974). Focal samples were used for adult females and males. This enabled us to quantify social relationships and compute frequencies of behavior (Dunbar, 1975). The daily data for each individual was collected randomly to avoid bias.

Sexual behavior was recorded using focal and ad libitum sampling. Animals were followed for 30 focal minutes. When a male was observed inspecting females' genitals and/or animals were observed attempting copulation (leg lock or female sitting on male's lap), I left the focal subject and changed to ad libitum continuous sampling, to record as many instances of sexual behavior as possible.

Behaviors sampled: The sexual behaviors recorded were defined as follows:
a) Inspecting behaviors
grasp: Male approaches female, manipulates her clitoris, squeezes the glans clitoridis, and smells his hand.
sip: Male sips the urine of a female shortly after she has urinated.
b) Copulatory behaviors
lap sit: Receptive female approaches male and initiates mounting by sitting on the male's lap.
leg lock: Male places his hind legs over the female's thighs. Usually both animals are sitting down.
thrust: Intromission.

Because the animals were inactive during the middle of the day when temperatures were highest, sampling was restricted to the periods between 08:00-12:00 and 16:00-17:00, when the animals were most active.

A total of 208 hours of focal observations were taken from the newly formed group and 242 hours from the established group. Four instances of complete copulation and one copulation attempt by a male were recorded through ad libitum sampling in the established group. No complete or incomplete copulation was recorded in the newly formed group.

Two males were not included in the focal samples (Bart and Marcos). Marcos was a juvenile and Bart an infant when I started this study. Their participation in the social network was very limited, and they spent most of the time playing. Bart was still very dependent on his mother and clinging to her at the time I started to collect the focal samples.

Evaluating the relationship between genital grasping as a form of genital inspection and copulation: Frequencies (events/min) of males actively grasping the external genitals of females and mounting were correlated using Spearman Rank coefficients.

Evaluating the relationship between clitoris size, age, and female sexual attractiveness: While the animals were anesthetized for blood collection (for DNA fingerprinting), they were weighed and measured and female clitoris lengths were obtained.

To test for the relationship between clitoris size and sexual attractiveness (measured by the number of times the males grasped females' genitals and/or sipped females' urine), the residual of clitoris length, regressed on body weight, was correlated with ESP and frequency with which males performed these behaviors. The purpose of using these residuals was to control for body weight (body weight in kg regressed against clitoris length in cm).

In the newly-formed group, Doris was excluded from the sample, as her clitoris size seemed to differ greatly from the Ateles geoffroyi average length reported in the literature (4.7 cm). Doris's clitoris was smaller than those of the rest of the females; we thought she belonged to another species of Ateles. However, the karyotype profiles revealed that Doris, like the rest of the animals studied, belongs to Ateles geoffroyi yucatanensis (Dubach, personal communication). The reason for the small size of her clitoris remains unknown.

Results

a) Inspection and sexual behavior: In this study, only the adult male from the established group (Loco) actively manipulated the clitorises of females. This behavior was also accompanied by sniffing his hand after the manipulation. Figure 2 shows two peaks of clitoris inspection by Loco in a period of 14 months. These peaks coincided with incidents of mounting, in April and in August, suggesting that female genital inspection by males precedes copulation. Loco also sipped the urine of females. Damian, the adult male in the new group, neither grasped the clitoris of females nor copulated with them, but he did sip the urine of one female (Vicky) shortly after she deposited urine. I included this form of genital inspection when correlating age with sexual performance, as pheromones from the sulcus retroglandis can be flushed out with urine.

Figure 2: Female genital manipulation and mounting by Loco (Established group).

This difference in grasping by males between the two groups (Mann-Whitney-U Test, Z=-2.44, 2-tailed p= 0.01, N=13) suggests that the social environment might have an important effect upon females' sexual attractiveness. Another possible reason for this is that there may be differences in sexual interest between the males, and elusive behavior by females, as adapting to the entirely new social context could have been very stressful for the animals of the newly formed group.

------------------------------------------------------------
Females     Absolute    Clitoris       Male          *Age 
            clitoris    residual      grasps       category 
           length (cm)             (events/min.)     (ESP)	
------------------------------------------------------------
Newly 
formed 
group
------------------------------------------------------------
Quita         4.5        1.21           0              1
Mona          6          0.08           0              1
Gringa        5         -1.32           0              2
Gorda         6          0.37           0              2
Vicky         5.1        0.51           0              1
Susi          5.3        1.45           0              1
------------------------------------------------------------
Established 
group
------------------------------------------------------------
Guera         4         -0.62           0.002          2
Flaca         5          0.41           0.001          2
Lucrecia      4         -0.62           0              0
Faby          4.1       -0.46           0.1            2
Lisa          4         -0.58           0.0005         1
China         4.2       -0.68           0.01           2
Emma          5          0.39           0.001          2
------------------------------------------------------------

The clitorises of three females in the established group (Guera, Emma, and China) were almost always grasped preceding copulation. Another female, Flaca, gave birth in August, 1995. Prior to the birth of her infant, Loco (the adult male) was seen grasping her genitals on two occasions; once in January, eight months prior to delivery, and once in April. Considering that the gestation period of Ateles is 226 days (Robinson & Janson, 1987), an unobserved copulation must have taken place sometime at the end of January of that same year. This suggests that her genitals were also grasped close to when copulation took place.

Another female worth commenting on is Faby. Loco grasped her clitoris at a very high rate. Two frequency peaks of grasping were observed, in April and in July, the periods when Loco copulated with the other females. But even though Loco grasped her genitals frequently, he was never seen attempting to copulate with her.

Lisa and Lucrecia, who had not reached sexual maturity when this study was carried out, were never observed being inspected or mounted by Loco.

b) Clitoris size, age category (ESP) And female attractiveness: To evaluate the relationships between: (1) age and clitoris size, (2) age and frequency with which females are inspected by males, and (3) clitoris size and genital grasping, the residuals of the regression between clitoris length and body weight, and absolute clitoris length were correlated with ESP and frequency of clitoris grasping by a male (see Table 1).

Age and clitoris size: The results suggest that age category of the females, based upon eye skin pigmentation, is not significantly correlated to clitoris length/body weight residual (rs=.06, p=0.84, N=13). Absolute clitoris size was also not significantly correlated with frequency of genital inspection (rs= -.04, p=0.89, N=13). These results suggest that clitoris size is not a function of female age.

Age and genital inspection: For the male of the established group there was a non-significant relationship between total frequency (events/minute) of both sipping and grasping and age of females (ESP) (rs=1.65, 2-tailed p=0.61), and a non-significant relationship between just frequency of sipping and age (rs=0.49, 2-tailed p= 0.61). However, there was a significant relationship between frequency of grasping and age (rs=1.94, 2-tailed p=0.04). Presumably Loco is obtaining chemical signals related to the reproductive condition of adult females through this grasping. Damian showed a non-significant relationship between frequency of sipping and age, (rs=0.49, 2-tailed p= 0.04),suggesting that he is not obtaining chemical information on her reproductive condition.

Clitoris size and genital inspection: Neither clitoris length/body weight residual nor absolute clitoris length was significantly correlated with genital inspection (clitoris length/body weight residual with genital inspection: rs=.-10, p=0.72, N=13, absolute clitoris length and genital inspection: rs= -.22, p=0.46, N=13).

Discussion

The females of the established group were inspected more by a male than the females of the newly-formed group. One of the reasons for this is that the females of the established group seemed to be advertising their reproductive cycles, and therefore to be more attractive to the male. Older females were inspected more than younger females, suggesting that the difference in clitoris grasping by the male is a function of the females' age. Also, the results obtained seem to suggest that an increase in frequency of female genital grasping by the male precedes copulation.

The differences between groups, in males actively grasping the genitals of females, could be explained by the fact that it was stressful for the animals of the recently convened group to be in a new situation, surrounded by unfamiliar animals, in their own and the established group. It might be that the adult females of the newly formed group were reproductively suppressed due to that social stress, and therefore were not advertising reproductive cycles (Dunbar, 1980).

Another possible explanation is that learning might be a factor for the development of pre-copulatory behaviors in male spider monkeys. In wild conditions sub-adults join all-male bands (MacFarland 1990), and probably learn how to approach and inspect females as they wander within their natal group's range. In this study the male of the newly formed group, Damian, approached a certain female, probably attracted by her scent. He then indirectly inspected this female by sipping the urine she had deposited. The lack of familiarity among the members of this group may explain why Damian was reluctant to directly inspect the genitals of females. It is also possible that, at the same time, the females were reluctant to be directly inspected by a relatively unfamiliar conspecific.

Because clitoris size did not seem to be related to female sexual attractiveness, the function of such a large structure remains unknown.

References

Abbott, D. H., McNeilly, A. S., Lunn, S. F., Hulme, M. J., & Burden, I. J. (1981). Inhibition of ovarian function in subordinate female marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus jacchus). Journal of Reproductive Fertility, 63, 335-345.

Altmann, J. (1974). Observational study of behaviour: Sampling methods. Behaviour, 49, 227-266.

Chapman, C. A., & Chapman, L. J. (1990). Reproductive biology of captive and free-ranging spider monkeys. Zoo Biology, 9, 1-9.

Dunbar, R. I. M. (1975). Some aspects of research design and their implications in the observational study of behaviour. Behaviour 58, 78-95.

Dunbar, R. I. M. (1980). Determinants and evolutionary consequences among female gelada baboons. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 7, 253-265.

Eisenberg, J. F. & Kuehn, R. E. (1966). The behaviour of Ateles geoffroyi and related species. Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, 151.

Eisenberg, J. F. (1976). Communication mechanisms and social integration in the black spider monkey Ateles fusciceps robustus and related species. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology. No. 213.

Epple, G., Belcher, A. M., Kuderling, I., Zeller, U., Scolnick, L., Greenfield, K. L., & Smith, A. B. (1993). Making sense out of scents: Species differences in scent glands, scent-marking behaviour, and scent mark composition in the Callithrichinae. In: A. B. Rylands (Ed.), Marmosets and Tamarins: Systematics, Behaviour and Ecology (pp: 123-163). Oxford University Press.

Hill, W. C. O. (1963). Primates: Comparative anatomy and taxonomy. Vol. 5: Cebidae, parts A and B. New York: Wiley Interscience.

Hodges, J. K., Gulick, B. A., Czekala, N., & Lasley, B. L. (1981). Comparison of urinary estrogen secretion in South American primates. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility, 61, 83-90.

Klein, L. L. (1971). Observations on copulation and seasonal reproduction of two species of spider monkeys, Ateles belzebuth and Ateles geoffroyi. Folia Primatologia, 15, 253-218.

Larsen, B., Markovets, A. J., & Galask, R. P. (1977). Role of estrogen controlling the genital microflora of female rats. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 34, 128-138.

MacFarland, M. S. (1990). Fission-fussion social structures in Ateles and Pan. International Journal of Primatology, 11, 47-61.

Michael, R. P., Zumpe, D., Keverne, E. B., & Bonsall, R. N. (1972). Neuroendocrine factors in the control of primate behaviour. Recent Progress in Hormone Research, 28, 665-706.

Michael, R. P. & Keverne, E. B. (1968). Pheromones in the communication of sexual status in primates. Nature 218, 746-749.

Milton, K. (1985). Mating patterns of woolly spider monkeys Brachyteles arachnoides: Implications for female choice. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 17, 53-59.

Moynihan, M. (1966). Communication in the titi monkeys, 2: Saguinus geoffroyi and other tamarins. Journal of the Zoological Society of London, 150, 77-127.

Moynihan, M. (1976). The New World primates: Adaptive radiation and the evolution of social behavior, languages, and intelligence. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Pastor-Nieto, R. (In review). Familiarity and post-conflict behaviour in captive spider monkeys.

Robinson, J. G. & Janson, C. H. (1987). Capuchins, squirrel monkeys, and Atelines: Socioecological convergence with Old World primates. In B. B. Smuts, D. L. Cheney, R. M. Seyfarth, R. W. Wrangham, & T. T. Struhsaker (Eds.), Primate Societies. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Singh, E. J., Swartwout, J. R., & Boss, S. (1972). Hydrocarbons in human cervical mucus and the effect of oral contraception. Journal of Reproductive Medicine, 8, 128-132.

------------------------------------------

Author's address: Ecology and Epidemiology Group, Dept. of Biological Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, U.K. [e-mail: <RPastor-nieto@bio.warwick.ac.uk>].

Special thanks to my husband, Francisco Sales, for all his support. I would also like to thank Biol. Nancy Ayora for giving permission to conduct this study and Alonso Vera Martínez for his support during the collection of data at the Centenario Zoo in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. Many special thanks to Dr. Jean Dubach at Brookfield Zoo, Illinois, for carrying out the paternity tests to determine relatedness, and Dimitris Tsvilis for helping me with the scanning of figures. I would also like to thank Prof. Robin Dunbar for providing valuable comments on the early drafts of this manuscript. This research was supported by the National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico (CONACYT; Grant number 19489).

------------------------------------------

* * *

Report from the Nairobi CITES Conference, April 10-20, 2000

Two issues of relevance to primates were raised at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) conference held in Nairobi from April 10-20, 2000. IPPL was represented at this meeting by Shirley McGreal and Dianne Taylor-Snow. IPPL also sponsored the attendance of representatives of the Indonesian non-governmental organization (NGO), KSBK (Animal Conservation for Life).

Document 11.45.1, proposed by Switzerland, Germany, and the United Kingdom, was headed “Concerning diagnostic samples, samples for identification, research and taxonomic purposes, and cell cultures and serum for biomedical research.” The proposers contended that issuance of CITES documents for transporting cell cultures and serum, even for commercial purposes, is a burden and “an impediment to research and legitimate trade.”

Many national delegations and NGOs raised questions about the draft resolution. Mexico and several other nations objected on the grounds that genetic materials could be patented and used for commercial purposes. IPPL raised questions about the potential harm that could be caused by efforts to obtain serum from free-living primates since it would be impossible for national authorities to monitor the ground operations of capture/release teams, possibly resulting in injuries or fatalities to the CITES-protected primates, as well as a potential for captors to infect free-living animals.

Zoo associations supported the resolution as they want to be able to identify species and diagnose illness in animals living overseas. Law enforcement agencies want to be able to move samples rapidly for identification. Because there was insufficient support for the resolution to pass, due to the broadness of the exemptions, the proposal was referred to an inter-session working group. It is likely that a more restrictive resolution will be proposed at the next Conference of the Parties, to be held in two and one-half years.

The “bushmeat problem,” the trade in the meat of protected animals, which has increased in recent years, was addressed. Several meetings on the subject were held, attended by government representatives and observers. Only a small proportion of the bushmeat trade is intercontinental in scope but there is cross-border regional trade in Africa. The basis of discussions was a British document (Document 11.44). A working group was formed which will initially concentrate on the Central African nations. A first meeting may be held as early as this summer. The U.K. offered to provide funds. African delegates expressed their concern at the situation. Delegates from several nations which are torn apart by civil strife reported that they had the will, but lacked the ability, funds, and staff, to address the problem.

African CITES-protected primate species involved in the bushmeat trade listed on Document 11.4 are: *Appendix I (the most restrictive category): Diana guenon, gorilla, drill, mandrill, bonobo, and chimpanzee. *Appendix II: moustached monkey, red bellied guenon, red-eared guenon, owl-faced monkey, De Brazza's monkey, greater white-nosed monkey, crowned guenon, Preuss' guenon, Sclater's guenon, sun-tailed guenon, black colobus, king colobus, and grey-cheeked mangabey.

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(Author's address: IPPL, P.O. Box 766, Summerville, SC 29484 [e-mail: <ippl@awod.com>].

This report was originally posted to the e-mail list Alloprimate, April 27, 2000.
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* * *

Addendum to the Directory of Graduate Programs in Primatology and Primate Research (2000)

* * *

Recognition and Alleviation of Pain and Distress in Laboratory Animals

Background

The Animal Welfare Act mandates that Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUCs) oversee the care and use of animals covered by the Act. IACUCs are composed of scientists, veterinarians, and at least one public member. They must assess warm-blooded animal research protocols to determine if (1) proposed animal use is essential for achieving relevant scientific goals, (2) the appropriate species have been selected, (3) the number of animals requested is properly justified, (4) the care of animals is appropriate, (5) provision for alleviating pain or distress is appropriate, and (6) alternatives to studies that might cause pain or distress have been sought. The Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (which implements the Health Research Extension Act of 1985 and the U.S. Government Principles for the Utilization and Care of Vertebrate Animals used in Testing, Research, and Training) adopts a similar position that is applicable to all vertebrate animal research protocols.

The Animal Welfare Act is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), while the PHS Policy is administered and coordinated by the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (formerly the Office for Protection from Research Risks). These agencies; the laws and policies they administer; highly respected voluntary programs, such as the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) International; and local IACUCs provide effective, comprehensive assessment and monitoring to assure humane animal care and use.

A significant provision of the Animal Welfare Act requires that institutions provide an annual report indicating the number of covered species used in the following categories:
Category C – animals in which procedures caused no pain or distress;
Category D – animals in which pain and distress during procedures was appropriately relieved by pain- or distress-relieving drugs;
Category E – animals involved in procedures which cause pain or distress that was not relieved by drugs for scientific reasons.

Animal use reported in Category E must be accompanied by an explanation and justification as to why drugs to relieve pain and distress were withheld. This information is readily accessible to the public through the Freedom of Information Act.

The current USDA reporting categories have been in use for many years and would benefit from revision and expansion to improve their utility. Many IACUCs have recognized that the USDA system is outdated and have developed categories pertaining to the extent of pain and distress that are more accurate and informative. The USDA is currently reviewing policy pertaining to the annual report, which is a welcome initiative. However, it appears that potential revisions may not address the major limitation of the current categories: inadequate discrimination regarding the intensity or duration of pain or distress. In fact, they may further reduce the accuracy of reporting by increasing assignment to Category E of animals that experience mild or questionable pain or distress. It will be unfortunate if the policy revision misses the opportunity to improve reporting categories.

Issues

The evaluation of potential pain or distress is complex because thresholds and manifestations of pain and distress vary among species and among individuals within a species.

The determination of what constitutes pain or distress in animals is further complicated by the fact that there are no universally agreed-upon criteria for assessing or determining what is, or is not, painful or distressful to an animal.
*The alleviation of pain and distress is often a diverse task that may require drugs, adjustments to environmental enrichment, modifications in research protocols, and other appropriate and humane strategies.
*Pain and distress, and the methods used to alleviate them, may interfere with research results.
*The USDA's categories for reporting pain and distress and measures to alleviate them are not optimally informative and potential policy changes may make them even less so.

Positions

*Laboratory animal veterinarians and other animal caregivers have a legal and moral obligation to alleviate pain and distress in laboratory animals.
*The complex nature of modern animal experimentation implies the need to report animal use accurately. Therefore, current USDA categories should be revised and expanded to facilitate more precise and informative reporting. Furthermore, annual reporting of animal use should be the responsibility of the IACUC in conjunction with assessment and monitoring by a qualified veterinarian.
*Alternatives to animal use in biomedical research should be sought. However, once a request to use animals has been made and approved, experiments should be performed as humanely as possible and with as few animals as possible.
*IACUCs must ensure that all personnel involved in the care and use of animals are adequately trained. Training should include concepts and methods to recognize pain and distress in laboratory animals and to alleviate them or seek assistance in doing so. This process will raise staff awareness regarding humane treatment and will improve the quality and documentation of monitoring.
*Qualified veterinarians should be involved in the design, monitoring and documentation of experiments that have the potential to cause more than momentary pain and distress to laboratory animals. The anticipated pain or distress level should be categorized and assigned during IACUC protocol review and monitored prospectively. The assignment should be reviewed at appropriate intervals and changes may be recommended after additional observation and prior to submission of the USDA Annual Report.
*Conditioning and monitoring of research animals should be designed prospectively. The corresponding schedules should indicate the frequency of observation and responsibilities of monitoring and laboratory personnel. In addition, correct doses of appropriate anesthetics, analgesics and tranquilizers should be selected preemptively by the principal investigator in consultation with the veterinarian. Possible outcomes (endpoints) should be discussed among the veterinarian, the investigator, and other laboratory personnel listed in a given protocol.
*Potentially painful or distressful procedures should be closely monitored by the animal health care staff and appropriate treatment instituted. New or novel procedures that may be painful should initially be performed under veterinary surveillance or supervision. Analgesics should be administered preemptively for known potentially painful procedures.
*Death should be avoided as an endpoint for animal experiments. Alternatives such as behavioral changes, fluctuations in body temperature, body condition, and weight-loss patterns should be sought and implemented.
*More research is needed on the assessment and alleviation of pain and distress to optimize the humane treatment of laboratory animals. The scientific and moral priorities inherent to animal research emphasize why such research is essential.

* * *

Announcements from Publications

The Journal of Comparative Psychology publishes original empirical and theoretical research from a comparative perspective on the behavior, cognition, perception, and social relationships of diverse species. Studies can be descriptive or experimental and can be conducted in the field or in captivity. Papers in areas such as behavioral genetics, behavioral rhythms, communication, comparative cognition, behavioral biology of conservation and of animal welfare, development, endocrine-behavior interactions, evolutionary psychology, methodology, phylogenetic comparisons, orientation and navigation, sensory and perceptual processes, social behavior, and social cognition are especially welcome. Both regular articles and brief communications will be considered.

If you are interested in becoming a reviewer, please contact Susan U. Linville, assistant editor at: J.C.P., Department of Psychology, Indiana University, 1101 East 10th St, Bloomington, IN 47405 [812-855-5014; e-mail: <compare@indiana.edu>]. – posted in ABSnet, 2000, 6[3]

Society & Animals

Society & Animals: Journal of Human-Animal Relations, the PSYeta publication, is now published by Brill Academic Publishers, 112 Water St, Suite 400, Boston, MA 02109 [e-mail: <cs@brillusa.com>].

Science and Animal Care

Our Animal WARDS seeks authors for its publication, Science and Animal Care (SAC). Pieces run about 1200-1500 words and must deal with a 3R topic or general animal welfare issues of interest to the scientific community.

SAC is distributed to more than 1000 science and animal professionals. As a charitable organization, we can only offer $150 per article and exposure for one's work. Interested parties should contact Ken Byrer, 8150 Leesburg Pike, Suite 512, Vienna, VA 22182-2714 [e-mail: <oawards@erols.com>].

The Infectious Disease Review

The Infectious Disease Review is concerned with the microbes of man, animals and the environment. The journal will consider material on any aspect of infectious disease: for example, epidemiology; diagnosis; case reports; laboratory science; molecular biology; immunology of infection; vaccines; treatment and control policies for individuals and populations; microbiology of animals (wild, laboratory, food, companion) including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish; and the microbiology of the environment including rainforest, desert, river, ocean and polar regions. Beginning with volume 1 (1999), the complete contents are available in pdf format at <www.idreview.co.uk/>.

* * *

Travelers' Health Notes

Dengue is a mosquito-transmitted acute viral disease caused by one of four dengue virus serotypes. Dengue is endemic in most tropical areas of the world and has occurred in U.S. residents returning from travel to such areas. This report summarizes information about imported dengue cases among U.S. residents for 1997 and 1998, which indicates that most persons with a known travel history probably acquired infection in the Caribbean islands or Asia.

Serum samples from 349 persons who had suspected dengue based on clinical presentation and onset of symptoms in 1997 and 1998 were submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). From these samples, 38% were laboratory diagnosed as dengue. Dengue diagnosis was negative in 37% and indeterminate in 22% because convalescent samples for serologic testing were unavailable.

Travel histories within the two weeks before illness, available for 122 persons, indicated that infections probably were acquired in the Caribbean islands (61 cases), Asia (30), Central America (23), South America (four), Africa (three), and the Pacific islands (one). In 1998, 90 laboratory-diagnosed cases were reported, a 70% increase from the 53 cases reported in 1997.

Commonly reported symptoms were fever (94%), headache (69%), myalgia (53%), rash (53%), arthralgia (32%), retro-orbital pain (27%), nausea or vomiting (25%), chills (24%), diarrhea (19%), and petechiae or ecchymoses (15%). At least seven patients were hospitalized, and one patient died.

The principal vector of dengue is the mosquito Aedes aegypti, which has a wide distribution in most tropical and subtropical areas. In the United States, Ae. aegypti can be found during summer months in many states. Most U.S. residents with dengue become infected during travel to tropical areas, although local transmission of dengue was documented in Texas in 1999.

The incubation period of dengue is 4-7 days (range: 3-14 days). Dengue virus infection can be asymptomatic or cause illnesses ranging from mild undifferentiated fever to severe disease, including hemorrhage and shock. Persons traveling to areas where dengue is endemic should avoid exposure to mosquitoes by using repellents, wearing protective clothing, and remaining in well-screened or air-conditioned areas. No vaccine is available for preventing dengue infection. The Ae. aegypti mosquito is well adapted to urban environments and can be found in or near human dwellings, where it can be found in closets, bathrooms, behind curtains, and under beds. The species usually bites during the early morning and late afternoon, but may feed at any time during the day when indoors or during overcast periods.

With an increase in traveling to and from endemic areas, more cases of imported dengue may be expected and health-care providers should consider dengue in the differential diagnosis of illness for all patients who have fever and a history of travel to tropical areas within two weeks before the onset of symptoms. Supportive measures should be given, and only acetaminophen is recommended for management of pain and fever. Aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents are contraindicated because of their anticoagulant properties. Acute-phase and convalescent-phase serum samples should be obtained for viral isolation and diagnosis and sent for confirmation through state or territorial health departments to CDC's Dengue Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, 2 Calle Casia, San Juan, PR 00921-3200 [787-766-5181; fax: 787-766-6596]. Serum samples should be accompanied by a summary of clinical and epidemiologic information, including date of onset of disease, date of collection of sample, and a detailed recent travel history. – From Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 2000, 49, 248-253

Yellow Fever from Venezuela, 1999

On September 28, 1999, a previously healthy 48-year-old man from California sought care at a local emergency department and was hospitalized with a two-day history of fever (102º F), chills, headache, photophobia, diffuse myalgias, joint pains, nausea, vomiting, constipation, upper abdominal discomfort, and general weakness. On September 26, he had returned from a 10-day trip to Venezuela. On September 29, his illness was reported to the California Department of Health Services (CDHS) as a suspected case of viral hemorrhagic fever.

On admission to the hospital, physical examination revealed icteric sclerae and tenderness in the upper abdomen. Multiple red papular lesions with excoriations consistent with recent mosquito bites were seen on his lower legs and feet. No hepatosplenomegaly or lymphadenopathy was noted. Laboratory results indicated markedly elevated serum bilirubin and liver enzymes, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and evidence of acute renal failure.

A preliminary diagnosis of hemorrhagic fever syndrome was made, and the patient was placed on doxycycline and ceftriaxone. Cultures of blood and urine were negative for bacterial pathogens. Blood smears for malaria were negative. On October 1, the patient developed general seizures and upper respiratory obstruction. He was placed on mechanical ventilation and transferred to the intensive care unit. His condition deteriorated rapidly, with severe coagulopathy and cardiac arrhythmias. He died on October 4.

On October 7, an autopsy was performed; YF viral antigens and YF virus-specific nucleic acids were found. Other tests were negative for dengue virus, leptospira, New World arenaviruses, spotted fever group rickettsiae, and hantavirus. The patient's serum was tested; no antibody to YF virus (17D) was detected in serum drawn September 28, but an IgG titer of 1:128 and an IgM titer of >1:80 were detected in serum drawn October 1.

During September 16-25, the patient had traveled with six companions to rainforests in southern Venezuela (Amazonas State). He experienced multiple mosquito bites during his visit despite using DEET-based repellents. Before his trip, the patient had received tetanus toxoid, typhoid vaccine, hepatitis A vaccine, and malaria prophylaxis, but not YF vaccine. The travel companions were contacted by the California Department of Health Services about their health and vaccination status; none had become ill during or following the trip. Five had received YF vaccine before travel. The unvaccinated traveler's serum was negative for YF virus antibody.

This was the second case of imported fatal YF in a U.S. resident returning from South America since 1996. Neither patient had received YF vaccine before travel. In 1996, a Tennessee resident returned from a 9-day trip to Brazil with fever, headache, and myalgias. He died 10 days after onset of symptoms, and YF virus was identified from tissue culture.

YF occurs in at least seven tropical South American countries (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Peru, and Venezuela) and much of sub-Saharan Africa. The sylvatic cycle involves nonhuman primates and mosquitoes that breed in tree holes. Persons living or working in proximity to such jungle or forest habitats who are bitten by infected mosquitoes can develop “jungle YF.” Another cycle exists between humans and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Ae. aegypti mosquitoes are present in most urban centers of South and Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of the southern United States; persons in these areas are at risk for urban YF infection. YF has not been reported from India or other parts of Asia despite the presence of Ae. aegypti.

World Health Organization (WHO) data suggest that YF transmission is increasing. WHO estimates that approximately 200,000 YF cases occur each year, most in sub-Saharan Africa. Along with increased YF transmission, the number of travelers from the United States to South America and Africa has more than doubled since 1988. These travelers may be at risk for YF unless precautions are taken, including receipt of YF vaccine.

YF is one of three diseases (the others are plague and cholera) subject to international quarantine regulations. CDC is required to notify WHO of all YF cases in the United States within 24 hours. Accordingly, all suspected and confirmed cases should be reported immediately through local and state health departments to CDC's National Center for Infectious Diseases, Division of Quarantine [404-639-8100]; acute and convalescent-phase serum should be collected and sent for viral isolation and diagnosis to CDC's National Center for Infectious Diseases, Division of Vector-borne Infectious Diseases [970-221-6400]. The location of certified U.S. YF vaccination centers is available from local and state health departments. If YF vaccine is medically contraindicated, health-care providers should supply persons with a letter listing reasons for not vaccinating, and persons should carry this with them when traveling. Details of vaccine recommendations and requirements of individual countries are available from <www.cdc.gov/travel>.

CDC recommends YF vaccination for travelers to countries reporting YF. Vaccination also is recommended for travel outside urban areas of countries that officially do not report the disease but are in the YF-enzootic zone. Travelers should also take protective measures to reduce contact with mosquitoes; these include wearing clothes that cover most of the body, staying in well-screened areas, using insect repellent (containing DEET at a concentration of <35%) on exposed skin and clothing, and sleeping under bed nets treated with permethrin or deltamethrin insecticides. – From Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 2000, 49, 303-305

International Assn for Medical Assistance to Travelers

The International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT), a volunteer group, compiles an annual list of doctors around the world who meet the organization's criteria, who speak English or another second language, and who agree to charge a specific fee. The 2000 Directory lists the current schedule of fees as US$55 for an office visit, US$75 for a house (or hotel) call, and US$95 for night, Sunday, and holiday calls. These fees do not include consultants, laboratory procedures, hospitalization, or other expenses. The 72-page listing of doctors and centers includes 122 countries. IAMAT also publishes and provides to its members pamphlets on immunization and on malaria. For information, contact IAMAT, 40 Regal Rd, Guelph, Ontario, N1K 1B5, Canada [519-836-0102]; 417 Center St, Lewiston, NY 14092, U.S.A. [716-754-4883]; P.O. Box 5049, Christchurch, N.Z.; or 57 Voirets, 1212 Grand-Lancy-Geneva, Switzerland; or see <www.sentex.net/~iamat> [e-mail: <iamat@sentex.net>].

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Information Requested or Available

Dr. Lynn Kramer, Director of Biological Programs at the Denver Zoo, is interested in knowing if anyone has De Brazza's monkeys in a laboratory colony. If you, or someone you know, has De Brazza's monkeys, please contact Dr. Kramer, 2900 E. 23rd Ave, Denver, CO 80205 [e-mail: <dirbioprogs@denverzoo.org>]. – Posted to Primate-Science

Primate Enrichment Database

The Primate Enrichment Database is accessible again. Presently, 285 of the 1541 entries are available as full text documents – that is, you can print original articles, including photos, directly at your computer. If you use this Database, PLEASE let us know if you miss any articles/abstracts/chapters. Write, or send a reprint or copy of the paper, to Annie and Viktor Reinhardt, 15507 Lakeside Dr., Weed, CA 96094 [e-mail: <viktor@animalwelfare.com>].

TechTips Database

The University of Texas at Austin Animal Resources Center has established the TechTips Database for the use of the laboratory animal community. Users are invited to search the database for solutions provided by their colleagues, or to create a record of a tip, technique, or solution to a problem you have experienced in your lab or facility. See <128.83.207.160/ttips1/>.

Topics in Primate Conservation

Primate-Science has announced a new monthly series on primate conservation. The Coordinators welcome brief reports on the following and related topics: *Conservation organization programs *Habitat preservation *Field work *Species survival plans *Managing wild populations *Maintaining viable genetic populations *Captive breeding *Projects supported by zoos *Reintroduction/Rehabilitation * Ecotourism *Field techniques and equipment *Field veterinarianship *Legislation *Bushmeat trade.

Topics in Primate Conservation will include reports from the published literature as well as original submissions. Reports should be kept to a reasonable length. Topics in this series will be archived on the News and Publications page of Primate Info Net <www.primate.wisc.edu/pin/newspt.html>.

Please send conservation reports or suggested topics to Dean Anderson [e-mail: danders3@students.wisc.edu] or Nancy Ruggeri [e-mail: <nruggeri@facstaff.wisc.edu>], Dept of Zoology, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53715.

More Interesting Web Sites

*APHIS report, Strategic Direction for the Animal Care Program, January 2000: <www.aphis.usda.gov/ac/strategicplan.html>
*Bushmeat Crisis Task Force: <www.bushmeat.org>
*Centro de Rehabilitación y Rescate de Primates: <www.macacos.cl>
*Chimpanzee Rescue Center, Sierra Leone: <www.ecovolunteer.org/pro/pro22/pro1_22.htm>
*Chimp Haven: <www.chimphaven.org>
*Encyclopædia Britannica: <www.britannica.com>
*Foundation for Biomedical Research: <www.fbresearch.org>
*Free medical journals site: <www.freemedicaljournals.com/>
*Gibbon Rehabilitation Center: <www.ecovolunteer.org/pro/pro20/pro1_20.htm>
*Great Ape Project: <www.greatapeproject.org>
*Harcourt International, publisher: <www.harcourt-international.com/vet>
*Hardin Meta Directory of Internet Health Sources: <www.lib.uiowa.edu/hardin/md/>
*Hardin Meta Directory's Electronic Journal Showcase: <www.lib.uiowa.edu/hardin/md/ej.html>
*HighWire Press, archive of free science journals: <highwire.stanford.edu/lists/freeart.dtl>
*IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee) Information: <www.iacuc.org>
*International Primate Sanctuary Panama: <fsu.edu/~cppanama/ipsp>
*Lancet Electronic Research Archive: <www.thelancet.com/newlancet/eprint/index.html>
*Primate Enrichment Forum: <www.egroups.com/list/pef-list>
*Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Korea: <www.sbri.or.kr/users/lar>
*Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center: <www.jaring.my/sabah/sepilok.htm>
*Surajmukhi: An organization for Nature Education & Conservation: <www.surajmukhi.cjb.net>
*Tierschutz bei Tierversuchen (Humane Research): <www.uni-giessen.de/tierschutz>
*Tropical Diseases Image Library: <www-nt.who.int/tropical_diseases/databases/imagelib.pl>
*Wanariset Orangutan Reintroduction Project: <www.redcube.nl/bos>
*Wild Animal Orphanage: <www.primatesanctuarynsrrp.org>
*Wildlife Waystation: <www.waystation.org>
*Zoo News (English and German): <www.zoonews.ws>

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Meeting Announcements

An international symposium-workshop, Frugivores and Seed Dispersal: Biodiversity and Conservation Perspectives, will be held August 6-11 in São Pedro, São Paulo, Brazil. Contact: Museu de Historia Natural, Instituto de Biologia, UNICAMP, Caixa Postal 6109, 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil [fax: 019-289-3214; e-mail: <frug2000@unicamp.br>]; or see <www.unicamp.br/ib/f2000>.

The Chicago Academy of Sciences, the Living Links Center of Emory University, and the Jane Goodall Institute have organized a conference entitled “Animal Social Complexity and Intelligence”, to be held at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Chicago, August 23-26, 2000. For more information and on-line registration see <www.animalsocialcomplexity.org>.

The Fourth World Congress of Veterinary Dermatology will be held August 30 to September 2, 2000, in San Francisco, California. For information or registration, see <www.meetingmakers.com/wcvd/>; or contact Fourth World Congress of Veterinary Dermatology, c/o MeetingMakers, 100 Commerce Way, Woburn, MA 01801 [e-mail: <reg-cvd7416@meetingmakers.com>].

Registration and program information for the World Congress of Veterinary Anesthesia, to be held September 20-23, 2000, in Berne, Switzerland, are at <www.aveta.org.uk/wcva1.htm>.

The XIVth Associazione Primatologica Italiana Congress will be held October 4-6, 2000, at the Pisa-Museo di Calci, Pisa. Contact: Prof. Silvana Borgognini Tarli, Dipartimento di Etologia, Ecologia, Evoluzione, Via Volta, 4-56126 Pisa [050/24613, 050/44484; fax: 050/24653; e-mail: <borgognini@discau.unipi.it>]; or see <www.unipv.it/webbio/api/cong14/14con.htm>.

An International Conference on Health Research for Development, jointly organized by WHO, the World Bank, the Global Forum for Health Research, and the Council on Health Research for Development, will be held October 10-13, 2000, in Bangkok. Contact Conference 2000 Secretariat, COHRED c/o UNDP, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland [(41 22) 917 8554; fax: (41 22) 917 8015; e-mail: <Conference2000@cohred.ch>]; or see <www.conference2000.ch>.

The Jane Goodall Foundation will hold the Chimpanzoo Annual Conference, October 18-22, 2000, in Tucson, Arizona. For information contact Virginia Landau, Chimpanzoo Director, The Jane Goodall Institute, Geronimo Bldg. #308, 800 E. University Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85721 [520-621-4785; fax: 520-621-2230; e-mail: <vlandau@u.arizona.edu>]; or see <u.arizona.edu/~vlandau/home.htm>.

The Association of Primate Veterinarians will meet November 3-5, 2000, in San Diego, California. Contact: Christine Parks, Research Animal Resources Center, University of Wisconsin, 396 Enzyme Institute, 1710 University Ave, Madison, WI 53705-4098 [608-262-1238; e-mail: <parks@rarc.wisc.edu>].

Primates in Biomedical Research: Diseases and Pathology, an international symposium, will be held in Göttingen, Germany, November 8-9, 2000, sponsored by the German Primate Centre (DPZ). The program will focus on progress in the broad field of spontaneous and induced primate pathology, and there will be a special congress topic, Tumor Pathology. For information, contact Ingrid Rossbach, DPZ, Dept of Vet. Med. And Primate Husbandry, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany [++49-(0)551-3851 119; fax: ++49-(0)441-3851 277; e-mail: rossbach@www.dpz.gwdg.de]; or see <www.dpz.gwdg.de>.

The annual General Meeting of the Australasian Primate Society will be held in January, 2001, during the IPS Congress in Adelaide. The next APS Conference will be held in late 2001 at a venue to be determined. Contact Graeme Crook [e-mail: <APS_Editor@msn.com.au>].

The 27th International Ethological Conference will be sponsored by the International Council of Ethologists and the Ethologische Gesellschaft e.V., August 22-29, 2001, in Tübingen, Germany. The conference is open to all ethologists and scientists working in related fields. For registration and further information see or contact XXVII IEC, Raimund Apfelbach, Universität Tübingen, Zoologisches Institut / Tierphysiologie, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, D-72076 Tübingen Germany [++49-7071-2972624; fax: ++49-7071-294634; e-mail: <ethology01@uni-tuebingen.de>]. – From ABSnet, 2000, 6[6]

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News Briefs

Dr. Sherwood Larned Washburn, an anthropologist and pioneering primatologist who linked the evolution of human behavior traits to the actions of apes and monkeys, died on Sunday at a hospital near his home in Berkeley, California. Sherry was an emeritus professor of anthropology at the University of California at Berkeley, where he taught and worked from 1958 to 1978. He helped the University become a leader in primatology during his tenure, with his study of baboon colonies in Kenya.

His work also took him to remote areas of Sri Lanka, Thailand, Borneo, and South Africa. On campus, Washburn's lectures inspired standing ovations from his students. His books included Human Evolution: Biosocial Perspectives and Ape Into Human: A Study of Human Evolution. The Fourth International Congress of Primatology in 1972 was dedicated to him. – From the New York Times, posted to Primate-Science, April 19

Nim, Sign Language Chimp, Dies at Age 26

The Fund for Animals announced the passing of Nim, who died of heart failure on March 10 at the Fund's Black Beauty Ranch in Murchison, Texas. He was 26 years old. Nim was the subject of the book Nim: A Chimpanzee Who Learned Sign Language, by Herbert S. Terrace. – Posted to AlloPrimate, March 10, 2000

Michael Gorilla Dies

One of just two gorillas in the world who are said by handlers to have learned human language has died. The lowland gorilla known as Michael was 27 and, according to his handlers, knew about 500 gestures in American Sign Language at the time of his death on April 19, at the Gorilla Foundation's preserve 25 miles south of San Francisco. “He had a great facility with gestural communication and was a talented artist. His work has been displayed in galleries around the country,” said Francine Patterson, the Foundation's president. Michael came to the foundation in 1976 at the age of 3½ years.

Although gorillas are prone to heart disease, it is unclear what killed Michael, and an autopsy will be performed, said Gillian Ladd, an assistant to Patterson. Gorillas can live into their 50s. – From the Associated Press, posted to Primate-Science April 20, 2000

Nikko Says, “Don't Feed the Monkeys”

The central Japanese tourist town of Nikko is fed up with monkey-feeding tourists. “Don't feed the monkeys,” warns a first-of-its-kind ordinance submitted to Nikko's assembly Monday. Troops of wild macaques are among the area's best-known attractions, along with a 318-foot waterfall and a shrine that is the burial place of the 16th century shogun who unified Japan. The Toshogu shrine features three of the world's famous monkeys: statues of the see-no-evil, hear-no-evil, speak-no-evil trio.

But Nikko's real-life simians are causing their share of evil – damaging property and occasionally biting people while scavenging for food. Government officials blame doting tourists for teaching the monkeys to accept handouts. Every year, 30 to 40 people are hospitalized with bites, he said.

In November, officials abandoned a campaign to jolt aggressive macaques with electrified prods after residents criticized the tactic as cruel. So Nikko decided to teach humans a lesson instead. The ordinance is expected to pass during the assembly session ending this month. It carries no penalty except allowing names of deliberate offenders to be published, although officials acknowledged they are uncertain how much that will discourage tourists. – From an Associated Press article by Gary Schaefer, posted to Alloprimate, March 6, 2000

Office Status for Division of Animal Welfare

The Office for Protection from Research Risks' (OPRR) Division of Animal Welfare has now been officially named the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) by the National Institutes of Health. Nelson Garnett is the Director of OLAW, reporting to Wendy Baldwin, Deputy Director of NIH for extramural research. OLAW will continue to be responsible for all of the animal-related functions of the OPRR, including implementing and interpreting the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, administering an educational program for PHS-supported institutions and investigators, negotiating Animal Welfare Assurances, and evaluating compliance with the PHS Policy. OLAW will remain at NIH when OPPR moves to the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. OLAW has a Web site at <grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/olaw.htm>.

New Monkey Species Discovered

Two new species of marmoset were found by Marc Von Roosmalen in a remote corner of Brazil's Amazon rain forest, about 190 miles from Manaus, where local residents kept them as pets. One of the new monkeys is the Callithrix manicorensis, or Manicore marmoset. It has a silvery white upper body, a light gray cap on its head, yellow to orange underparts and a black tail. The other, Callithrix acariensis, or Acari marmoset, has a snowy white upper body and underparts, a gray back with a stripe running to the knee and a black tail with a bright orange tip. An average adult of both species measures nine inches with a 15-inch tail, and weighs around 12 ounces. The monkeys are named after the Manicore and Acari rivers – tributaries of the Amazon. The discovery was reported by Conservation International.

Roosmalen, a Dutch primatologist at Brazil's Amazon National Research Institute, says he has found 17 more monkeys he believes are new to science, as well as five new birds and two plants. Formal scientific descriptions of the new monkeys are to be published in the scientific journal Neotropical Primates in the next few weeks, the Associated Press reports. – Reported on April 24 on Alloprimate

Paranthropus robustus Skull Found

Johannesburg – Paleontologists have announced the discovery of the most complete ape-man skull ever excavated, a 1.5-million- to 2-million-year-old skull of a female Paranthropus robustus, a cousin of early man. The fossil was found beside the lower jaw of a male in “one of the most extraordinary finds that any paleoanthropologist has ever seen,” said Lee Berger, director of paleoanthropology at the University of Witwatersrand.

The finds give researchers their best opportunity to compare the differences between males and females of the species, said Andre Keyser, the paleontologist in charge of the site where the fossils were found.

Paranthropus robustus, a hominid that lived between 1.5 million and 2 million years ago, was a vegetarian that may have used rudimentary bone tools, Keyser said. It became extinct about a million years ago, probably because of the domination of early man, he said. “They represent a creature that was in direct competition with our earliest ancestors.”

The fossils were discovered in October, 1994, at the Drimolen site 20 miles northwest of Johannesburg in an excavation area nicknamed “The Cradle of Humankind”. Paleontologists have uncovered 80 hominid specimens at Drimolen since it was discovered in 1992. The remains were found in a prehistoric cave filled with bones dumped there by flash floods more than a million years ago.

The nearly complete skull will give paleontologists research opportunities they never had with the disparate fragments previously discovered, Berger said. – From the Chicago Tribune, April 27, 2000 (A.P.), posted to Primate-Science

Texas Snow Monkey Sanctuary Joins API

On March 2 the Animal Protection Institute (API), a national non-profit animal advocacy organization based in Sacramento, California, announced that the Texas Snow Monkey Sanctuary (TSMS) of Dilley, Texas, is now operating as a division of API, which has approximately 85,000 members nationwide. The Sanctuary's mission to provide a free-ranging environment for primates in need remains unchanged, with API providing managerial support. – From an Animal Protection Institute Press Release, March 2, posted to Alloprimate

NIH Takes Charge of Coulston Chimps

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has assumed responsibility for 288 chimpanzees currently housed at the Coulston Foundation in Alamogordo, New Mexico. The Coulston Foundation has been under scrutiny for financial troubles and violations of the Animal Welfare Act. Now that NIH has taken over responsibility for the chimpanzees, which have been used for HIV and hepatitis C research, the bidding process for contracts to care for the animals can begin. According to Nature magazine, bids will begin in June and will undergo peer review. Coulston can participate in the bidding process. – From the National Association for Biomedical Research Update, May 25, 21[11]

Changes at ILAR

The National Academies have named Joanne Zurlo, PhD, to be the Associate Director of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR) for the next six months. It is anticipated that she will then become ILAR's Director. Current ILAR Director Ralph Dell will remain as Associate Director for six months into 2001 to complete the transition of ILAR's leadership. He is looking forward to spending more time with his family and doing some consulting.

Joanne is currently the Associate Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing, which she joined in 1993. – An announcement by Americans for Medical Progress

Delta Airlines Will No Longer Ship Nonhuman Primates

As of June 1, Atlanta-based Delta Airlines will no longer transport nonhuman primates including lemurs, monkeys, orangutans, gorillas, and chimpanzees. According to Delta spokesperson Cindi Kurczewski, the decision was made by the airline's air logistics group to “provide the safest workplace environment possible for Delta employees.” “The animals were normally shipped as air cargo,” Kurczewski said, “and because we don't have protective gear and such for our cargo employees we implemented the policy to ensure their safety.” When asked to be more specific regarding safety concerns, Kurczewski said she could not comment.

In related news, a number of U.S. airlines recently announced a summer ban on animal cargo. Delta Airlines will not allow animals to be checked as baggage in June, July, and August. United and American Airlines announced similar bans through September, and Continental Airlines has permanently stopped accepting animals as checked baggage. In most instances small pets can still be carried aboard the airline and most companies have cargo instructions posted on-line. These restrictions come on the heels of new federal rules requiring airlines to report the number of animals killed or injured on flights – National Association for Biomedical Research Update, 21[5]

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Grants Available

The Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP) is operated by Morris Animal Foundation, a public, nonprofit foundation. The primary objective of the project is to provide a comprehensive veterinary program consisting of health care and scientific investigations that will contribute to the long-term survival of the highly endangered mountain gorillas (Gorilla gorilla beringei) found in the national parks of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire.) The Project is based in Kigali, Rwanda, and at Makerere University in Uganda. The Project has a Project Director in America and three field veterinarians. At the present time, the Project is responsible for medical interventions for life threatening man-made situations, and postmortems of animals that die. We have access on a regular basis to hair, urine, fecal samples, and food items from identified individuals, as well as groups. During interventions, we have access to non-invasive sampling of mountain gorillas which includes, but it not limited to, skin samples, blood samples, and culture samples.

The Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project has CITES permits to legally export these samples to the United States. The MGVP is seeking pre-proposals in the areas listed below, although consideration will be given to pre-proposals from other areas. Comparative work with captive gorillas that will shed enlightenment on the management or well-being of the mountain gorillas, or techniques useful in the field, will be given consideration. Priority for funding will be given in the following categories: *Population health threats with respect to infectious disease and ecotourism to the mountain gorillas via humans (tourists, researchers and guides, and local populations), livestock, and wildlife *Pathology *Nutrition *Parasitology *Genetics *Reproduction *Geographical Information Systems modeling with respect to disease in mountain gorilla populations.

Projects may be one to three years in duration. The deadline for pre-proposals is November 1, 2000. For more information, contact the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, Attn: Dr. Mike Cranfield, Project Director, c/o Baltimore Zoo, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, MD 21217 [410-396-0070; fax: 410-396-0300]; or see <www.MorrisAnimalFoundation.org/MGVPgrants.html>>. Morris Animal Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

NIMH Exploratory/Developmental Grants

The Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science and the Division of Services and Intervention Research of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) invites applications for Exploratory/Devel-opmental Grants that fall within their research interests. The objective is to encourage applications for one-time grants to support: 1) innovative research directions requiring preliminary testing or development; 2) exploration of the use of approaches and concepts new to a particular substantive area; 3) research and development of new technologies, techniques or methods; or 4) initial research and development of a body of data upon which significant future research may be built, i.e., the data should have a high level of impact on the field. Applicants may request direct costs of up to $100,000 per year for up to two years. Competitive renewals of grants awarded under this program announcement will not be accepted.

The Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science provides extramural support of basic and clinical neuroscience research, genetics research, development of therapeutics, basic behavioral science research, research training and career development, and research and development of scientific technologies relevant to any of these substantive areas. The overarching goal of research supported in this Division is to increase understanding of basic behavioral mechanisms and the neural basis of normal and disordered mental function. The branches, offices and programs comprising the Division are described in more detail at .

For more information, contact: Mary Ellen Oliveri, Behavioral Science Research Branch, Rm 7220, MSC 9651 [301-443-9400; fax: 301-443-9876; e-mail: <moliver1@mail.nih.gov>]; Kevin J. Quinn, Behavioral and Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, Rm 7168, MSC 9637 [301-43-1576; fax: 301-443-4822; e-mail: <kquinn@mail.nih.gov>]; or Steven O. Moldin, Genetics Research Branch, Rm 7189, MSC 9643 [301-443-9869; fax: 301-443-9890; e-mail: <smoldin@nih.gov>]; all in the Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science, NIMH, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Blvd., Bethesda, MD 20892-9643.

New Grants in Medical Research

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute will award $16.25 million in new grants to support the research of biomedical scientists in Canada and five Latin American Countries – Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Venezuela. The five-year initiative will support the research of outstanding scientists in fields such as genetics, epidemiology, bioinformatics, virology, and neuroscience. Recipients must hold a full-time appointment at a nonprofit scientific institution, have made significant contributions to biomedical research, and have a significant publication history in international, English-language, peer-reviewed journals. Each grant is for five years and will range between $50,000 and $90,000 annually. For information, contact the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Office of Grants and Special Programs, International Program, 4000 Jones Bridge Rd, Chevy Chase, MD 20815-6789 [301-215-8873; fax: 301-215-8888; e-mail: <latamcan@hhmi.org>]; or see . The deadline for application is November 15, 2000.

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Research and Educational Opportunities

The Zoological Society of San Diego announces its Millennium Field Program in Conservation Science. Twelve post-doctoral positions are available (to be filled between 2000-2002) for fieldwork on endangered species (mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians) and ecosystems. Projects may be carried out in any part of the world, but attention will focus on five geographical regions: Southwestern U.S.A., South America, Caribbean Islands, Pacific Islands, and China, as well as on additional areas/species of particular interest to the Society (e.g., primates and rainforest herpetofauna of Cameroon). It is envisaged that postdoctoral fellows will carry out field projects in collaboration with staff at the Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species (CRES) as well as with the Society's Curatorial, Veterinary, and Educational Departments. The CRES laboratories, with a total of 70 scientists and technical staff, offer expertise in the fields of behavior, ecology and applied conservation, endocrinology, genetics, pathology, reproductive physiology, virology/ immunology and analytical chemistry. Funds for travel, equipment and field expenses will be included in each fellowship. Appointments will be for three years, with the possibility of extension to five years (maximum). Newly qualified PhDs, and those with up to three years postdoctoral experience, are encouraged to apply. Also available is a Conservation Education Fellowship for postgraduate students which will support the Zoological Society of San Diego's conservation and research projects through community outreach and awareness programs.

Stipends will begin at $32,700, with adjustments according to experience. Applications, to include a CV, reprints of up to three publications, and names and addresses of three referees should be addressed to: The Zoological Society of San Diego, Department of Human Resources (Millennium Fellowship Program), P.O. Box 120551, San Diego, CA 92112-0551. For more details, see <www.sandiegozoo.org/special/employment/index.html>. – From ABSnet

Postdoctoral Fellowship: Baboons

“We are looking for a postdoctoral fellow to join our study of social behavior and communication of baboons, based at the University of Pennsylvania and in the Moremi Game Reserve, Okavango Delta, Botswana. Candidates should have extensive field experience, ideally in remote areas and including the design and execution of playback experiments. They should have completed the PhD and be ready to begin research any time after October 1, 2000, but in no case later than May 1, 2001. Once started, the fellowship is for three years. Because the field site is fairly remote and two people are often needed to conduct experiments, applications from couples are particularly encouraged.” Applicants should send a letter and CV, together with the names of two or three people willing to write on their behalf, to Dorothy Cheney and Robert Seyfarth, Dept. of Biology, Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 [e-mail: <cheney@psych.upenn.edu>]. – From ABSnet

Postdoctoral Residency – Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania is offering a position for a postdoctoral resident in laboratory animal medicine. This ACLAM-recognized program is designed to develop competence in biomedical research and laboratory animal medicine, and prepare candidates for ACLAM Board certification and a career in biomedical research. Clinical training includes rotations throughout the University, which has leading medical, veterinary, and dental schools all on one campus. Additional experience and training at nearby pharmaceutical companies and the Philadelphia Zoo can be arranged for interested candidates. Graduate-level coursework is part of the program and may be applied to a MS or PhD degree with specialization in any of a wide range of biomedical specialties. Applicants must hold a DVM/VMD or equivalent degree. The level of stipend support ranges from $26,256 to $41,268 and depends upon qualifications and experience. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Candidates should apply by letter and submit an academic transcript, GRE scores, and curriculum vitae with names of three references to Harry Rozmiarek, Program Director, Professor and Chief, Laboratory Animal Medicine, University Veterinarian, University of Pennsylvania, Medical School Mailroom, Mail Code 6014, Philadelphia, PA 19104 [215-898-9026; fax: 215-573-9998]. The University of Pennsylvania provides equal opportunities in education and employment.

* * *

Positions Available

BIOQUAL, Inc. seeks a clinical veterinarian to join two ACLAM board-certified veterinarians within their Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine (DLAM). BIOQUAL is an established contract research laboratory with a national reputation in infectious disease and related research, using a variety of laboratory animal species with an emphasis on nonhuman primates. Our AAALAC International-accredited facilities are located in Rockville, Maryland, along the I-270 Research Corridor, conveniently situated between the National Institutes of Health and the Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center.

The position reports to the Vice President of the Division of Primate Biology and Medicine/Director, DLAM, and is responsible for enhancements to, and expansion of, the animal care and use program. Responsibilities include provision of clinical care, surgical support, and preventive medicine programs for approximately 600 nonhuman primates in addition to rabbits and rodents; consultation and collaboration with NIH scientists for animal model and protocol development in support of vaccine and discovery research; membership on the BIOQUAL ACUC; and development and training for technical staff.

Minimal qualifications for this position are a DVM/VMD degree and license to practice veterinary medicine in at least one state, completion of an ACLAM-recognized residency/postdoctoral training program in laboratory animal medicine, and either board certification by ACLAM or eligibility to take the ACLAM certifying examination in 2001. Strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential, and experience with nonhuman primates is preferred.

BIOQUAL is located in the Maryland suburbs of the Washington D.C., metropolitan area with easy access to rural areas as well as the city, with its varied cultural and entertainment opportunities. Many colleges and universities, the NIH, and military laboratories contribute to a dynamic environment for laboratory animal professionals. Opportunities exist for collaborative research, and a local ACLAM board-preparation study group is available for interested candidates. New laboratory animal medicine residency graduates are encouraged to apply.

BIOQUAL offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Individuals interested in this position should submit a letter of application, a CV, and the names, telephone numbers, and addresses of three professional references to: Erica James, Director of Human Resources, BIOQUAL, Inc., 9600 Medical Center Dr., Rockville, MD 20850 [301-251-2801; e-mail: <ejames@bioqual.com>].

Clinical Veterinarian – Tulane RPRC

The Department of Veterinary Medicine at Tulane Regional Primate Research Center (TRPRC) is adding a fifth veterinarian to its clinical staff. TRPRC is one of eight regional primate research centers in the U.S. TRPRC is an AAALAC-accredited facility housing 5000 nonhuman primates of nine different species on 600 acres 40 miles north of New Orleans. Our research program focuses on infectious diseases such as AIDS, malaria, Lyme disease, and tuberculosis, but also includes studies on gene therapy, alcohol consumption, and assisted reproductive technologies.

Primary responsibilities for this position include general medical and surgical care of breeding colony and research animals, provision of research support, and training of investigators, laboratory animal residents, veterinary students, and technicians. Opportunities exist for independent and collaborative clinical research involving nonhuman primate medicine and surgery.

The candidate must hold a DVM/VMD degree from an AVMA-accredited college of veterinary medicine and be licensed to practice veterinary medicine in one of the fifty states. The candidate must have good written and verbal communication skills and be well-suited for close collaboration with our investigators. Two or more years of clinical practice with companion or lab animals is required. Primate experience or board eligibility in laboratory animal medicine or a clinical specialty is desirable.

Interested individuals should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and three references to James L. Blanchard, Head, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Tulane Regional Primate Research Center, 18703 Three Rivers Road, Covington, LA 70433 [504-871-6285; fax: 504-871-6389; e-mail: <bubba@tpc.tulane.edu>].

Primate Technicians – Georgia

Charles River Laboratories (CRL), a subcontractor for the Center for Disease Control, provides animal care support staff at Lawrenceville and Chamblee, Georgia. CRL is seeking to hire primate technicians, who will provide animal care support for researchers and be responsible for the care and maintenance of nonhuman primates and other research models, as well as equipment and facilities. This position requires ALAT certification and one or more years experience working with nonhuman primates. CRL offers a comprehensive benefit package including: medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, short-term disability, supplemental life, flexible spending account, and 401(K) plan.

Please send a resume and cover letter with wage requirements to Charles River Laboratories, Attn: Human Resources, Dorsey Hall Dr., Suite # 102, Ellicott City, MD 21042-7824 [fax: 410-772-8364; e-mail: <jobs@criver.com>]. Charles River Laboratories is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer.

Animal Program Director – Baltimore

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health, invites applications for a laboratory animal veterinarian to serve as Animal Program Director of an AAALAC International-accredited animal care and use program. The program includes primates, rodents and other species and is located at NIDA's Intramural Research Program, on the Johns Hopkins Bayview Campus in Baltimore, Maryland.

The successful candidate will oversee the staff of the current animal resources service of NIDA, and will provide expert supervision in laboratory animal medicine, routine diagnostics, surgical support for the research program, and training of animal program staff. The selectee must possess experience with supervision of a transgenic animal breeding program. The supervisory and regulatory responsibilities of this position require the applicant to hold a veterinary degree (DVM, VMD, or equivalent degree). The well-qualified candidate must also have experience in a supervisory and management role with oversight and maintenance of an AAALAC International-accredited research animal program. Also desirable is experience in design of a state-of-the-art animal facility. Prior experience with a variety of nonhuman primates (Macaca mulatta, Saimiri sciureus) and possession of or eligibility for board certification in laboratory animal medicine are highly desirable.

The starting salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience, and includes a full federal benefits package. Relocation expenses may be paid.

Applicants should send a curriculum vitae with bibliography of publications and three letters of reference (at least two from non-collaborators) to Morgan DuBrow, Chief, Human Resources Management Section, Building C, Room 247, NIH/NIDA/IRP, 5500 Nathan Shock Dr., Baltimore, MD 21224 [410-550-1638; e-mail: <MDUBROW@intra.nida.nih.gov>]. NIDA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applications from minorities and women are encouraged.

Oread, Connecticut

Oread, a leader in contract drug discovery and development, has an immediate opening for a Lab Animal Veterinarian at its Biosafety Center in Farmington, Connecticut. We are looking for candidates who are seeking a career opportunity in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.

The mission of the Laboratory Animal Veterinarian is the promotion of quality research and the humane care of animals (nonhuman primates, swine, dogs, cats, rabbits, and rodents) used or intended for use in research, testing and training. Principal responsibilities include the oversight of the animal program including: *animal nutrition and husbandry * veterinary care * health monitoring and surveillance * animal surgery and post-surgical care. Additional responsibilities include: * assisting scientists on animal techniques, appropriate animal models, use and selection of anesthesia and analgesia, and surgical development * supporting studies with veterinary services including quarantine release, physical, ophthalmological, and special examinations * serving as a member of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee * ensuring compliance with regulatory agencies and AAALAC International.

Qualifications include a DVM degree from an AVMA-accredited veterinary school and experience with oversight and maintenance of an AAALAC International-accredited program. Possession of or eligibility for board certification in laboratory animal medicine is highly desirable. Familiarity with the fields of toxicology and pharmacology in a contract research organization and expertise in ophthalmology and cardiology are ideal.

Oread is also seeking Laboratory Animal Technicians. Successful applicants will provide the necessary husbandry and environmental enrichment for common laboratory animals including rodents, rabbits, dogs and nonhuman primates. The successful candidate will perform technical aspects of study protocols including animal restraint and handling, test article administration and sample collection using standard laboratory equipment. Candidates should possess excellent attention to detail, strong communication and interpersonal skills and an ability to work equally well independently or as part of a project team.

Minimal educational requirements include an Associate degree in Animal Science or related science or relative experience. AALAS certification is highly desirable. Experience working with rodents, dogs and nonhuman primates is ideal. Knowledge of GLPs, Microsoft Word, and spreadsheet programs is useful.

Oread offers a competitive salary and benefits package including 401(K). For consideration in this dynamic high growth company, please send resume and salary requirements to Oread Biosafety Center, 400 Farmington Ave., Farmington, CT 06032-1959, Attn: Human Resources Dept [fax: 860-676-9443]. Or see <www.oread.com>.

Laboratory Animal Veterinarian – Pittsburgh

The University of Pittsburgh Division of Laboratory Animal Resources is seeking a full-time clinical veterinarian to expand an existing staff of four veterinarians and five veterinary technicians. Responsibilities of this non-tenure-track Instructor position will include sharing the general clinical, administrative, regulatory, training, and research oversight of a large AAALAC-accredited animal program that is a significant component of the overall research effort at the University of Pittsburgh, currently ranked 9th nationally in NIH funding. Included in the multiple facilities are two large primate centers with about 400 primates, including a large colony involved in an SIV study.

The candidate should have a DVM/VMD degree from an AVMA-accredited veterinary school, licensure to practice in the United States and a strong background and interest in laboratory animal medicine. Preference will be given to those who have finished a formal residency-training program in laboratory animal medicine, although individuals with clinical training and interest in other subspecialty areas such as surgery or molecular biology as they relate to laboratory animal science will also be considered. Subsequent to hire, he or she will be expected to sit for the ACLAM or other appropriate specialty board examination when eligible; preparation time and assistance in this process will be provided. Additionally, opportunities exist to function collaboratively with existing research projects and obtain academic appointments within the medical center.

Salary will be commensurate with the applicant's experience and qualifications. The University of Pittsburgh provides excellent tuition benefits for employees and dependents and attractive medical benefits and retirement packages. Interested persons should submit a letter of interest, CV, and the names, addresses and phone numbers of three references to: Dr. Edwin Klein, Interim Director, Division of Laboratory Animal Resources, University of Pittsburgh, S1040 BioScience Tower, 3500 Terrace St, Pittsburgh, PA 15261 The University of Pittsburgh is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.

Chimpanzee Care Supervisor – California

The Wildlife Waystation is seeking a Supervisor Level Chimpanzee Caregiver. This person will be in charge of the living quarters of 31 chimps (age 3-11 years) in nine social groups. Duties include supervision and management of living quarters; training caregivers; health monitoring; and managing daily tasks such as record keeping, cleaning cages and peripheral areas, enclosure maintenance, feeding, medicating, and enrichment. At least five years of experience with multiple chimps is required; supervisory experience is preferred. This person must be healthy, fit and ready to work outside for hours, able to lift and carry 35 pounds, as well as being flexible and resourceful.

Salary is negotiable. If you are interested, please send your resume and a reference to Dean Seymour, Wildlife Waystation, 14831 Little Tujunga Canyon Rd, San Fernando, CA 91342. For further information, please contact Dean Seymour [e-mail: <dseymour@waystation.org>] or Asami Kabasawa [e-mail: <asamikabasawa@yahoo.com>].

Primate Clinical Veterinarian – Oregon

The Division of Animal Resources at the Oregon Regional Primate Research Center (ORPRC) is seeking a clinical veterinarian. Principal responsibilities include clinical veterinary care of a large colony of nonhuman primates and other laboratory animal species, management of health surveillance and preventive medicine programs, providing professional veterinary support to research programs, protocol review, and providing emergency veterinary care on a rotating on-call schedule. The candidate must be a graduate veterinarian with a DVM/VMD degree from a veterinary school accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association or equivalent professional training. Previous nonhuman primate or laboratory animal medicine experience is desirable, but not required. Emphasis is on the ability to provide quality clinical care. An Oregon Veterinary Practice License or eligibility is desirable upon employment. A service-oriented outlook, diplomacy, and strong written and verbal communication skills are essential. ORPRC is located about nine miles west of Portland, Oregon, and is affiliated with Oregon Health Science University. Interested individuals should send a letter containing their career goals, CV, and the names and telephone numbers of three references who may be contacted to: J. Connor, Personnel Administrator, Oregon RPRC, Oregon Health Science University, 505 NW 185th Ave., Beaverton, OR 97006. We are an AA/EEO employer.

Caribbean Primate Research Center

The Division of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, invites applications for five positions at the Caribbean Primate Research Center (CPRC), an AAALAC-accredited, multifaceted facility providing nonhuman primate research resources to the scientific and academic communities for over 60 years. All positions require: doctoral level degree (MD or PhD) appropriate to the specific position; computer literacy; and fluency in English. A working knowledge of Spanish and U.S. citizenship (or permanent resident status) is highly desirable.

Director: oversees the operational, financial, scientific and research resources and services of the CPRC and is responsible to the Director of the Division of Comparative Medicine. Emphasis is placed on the ability of the applicant to provide effective leadership, increase external funding, and develop programs to meet the future needs of the scientific community for research, training, and education. The CPRC Director interacts with diverse institutional, university, local, national, and international agencies involved in operating a nonhuman primate research facility. Applicants must have a minimum of 10 years of experience and a proven record in a relevant area of nonhuman primate research as well as evidence of effective skills in administration and personal communication.

Clinical/Research Veterinarian(s): based at the Sabana Seca Field Station but also oversees the well-being of the nonhuman primates on Cayo Santiago. Must be familiar with USDA, NIH, and other regulations governing animal welfare/care and has the primary responsibility for retaining full AAALAC accreditation for the CPRC. In addition to clinical and colony management responsibilities, veterinarians assist researchers utilizing the resources of the CPRC and must develop their own research programs either individually or in conjunction with other researchers. A DVM from an AVMA-accredited college of veterinary medicine is required, as is a veterinary license from a state or territory of the U.S.A. A Puerto Rican veterinary license must be obtained before the end of the first year of employment. Experience in research and nonhuman primate clinical care, husbandry and research is highly desirable.

Veterinary Pathologist: based at the Sabana Seca Field Station and responsible for all pathological studies at the CPRC. In addition to pathological evaluations, the Veterinary Pathologist must develop an independent research program and may also be asked to assist the clinical veterinarians and researchers utilizing the resources of the CPRC. Applicants must be board-eligible or board-certified by the ACVP and a PhD is highly desirable. A DVM from an AVMA-accredited college of veterinary medicine is required, as is a veterinary license from a state or territory of the U.S.A. A Puerto Rican veterinary license must be obtained before the end of the first year of employment. Experience with nonhuman primates or exotic animals is highly desirable.

Virologist: based at Sabana Seca Field Station with laboratory facilities at the Medical Sciences Campus. Responsible for monitoring the viral pathogen status of all animals at the CPRC and will contribute to the development of a Specific Pathogen Free colony. The virologist (PhD required) is expected to provide assistance to researchers utilizing the CPRC resources as well as to develop an independent research program.

Scientist-in-Charge, Cayo Santiago Colony: based in Punta Santiago, a town in southeastern Puerto Rico near the island of Cayo Santiago. Oversees and coordinates all administrative, management and scientific activities in the Cayo Santiago Colony of rhesus macaques, including oversight of visiting researchers and students. Responsible for the maintenance of the CPRC computerized demographic database which extends back to 1956. Must develop an independent research program on Cayo Santiago, as well as participate in the design and implementation of the overall scientific program at the CPRC. Applicants must have a PhD, experience in nonhuman primate research, evidence of understanding nonhuman primate behavior, evidence of skills in administration, and ability to work in the field and to collaborate with scientists in a variety of disciplines.

For more information contact: Caribbean Primate Research Center, P.O. Box 1053, Sabana Seca, Puerto Rico 00952-1053. [787-753-8656; e-mail: <cprc_ssfs@rcmaca.upr.clu.edu>]. Send applications (including a cover letter, CV, 1-2 page research statement, and three letters of reference) and/or names of nominees for the positions to: CPRC Search Committee, c/o Dean of Academic Affairs, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, P.O. Box 365067, San Juan, PR 00936-5067. The University of Puerto Rico is an Affirmative Action / Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

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Awards Granted

Donald G. Lindburg, a founder and former president of the American Society of Primatologists, was awarded the American Zoo and Aquarium Ass