Honess P E, Johnson P J, Wolfensohn S E
Department of Veterinary Services, University of Oxford, UK.
Lab Anim. 2004 Apr;38(2):119-32. doi: 10.1258/002367704322968795.
More long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) than any other primate are imported into the UK for research, and journey times may be of up to 58 h. Whilst a number of studies have examined the stress associated with transport, these have typically involved laboratory rodents and livestock, and little is known of its effect on non-human primates. This paper reports the results of a study of behavioural changes in a group of long-tailed macaques transported by air from standard breeding conditions and then re-housed in standard laboratory primate conditions. The animals were studied prior to their departure, immediately after their arrival, and 3 weeks after that. Data were collected on individual time budgets using focal animal sampling and on hierarchy using a feeding trial. The data were analysed for changes in behavioural repertoires and for social perturbation that would be reflected in hierarchical changes. Changes in behaviour occurred which reflected heightened levels of stress in the study group. It was also clear that although there was some adjustment of behaviour, after an initial change on arrival at the new establishment, there was no return to levels observed at the breeding facility within the first month. This study demonstrates that, as a whole, the process of international air transport and re-housing in laboratory conditions may result in the compromising of the welfare of the study animals.
被进口到英国用于研究的食蟹猴（猕猴属）比其他任何灵长类动物都多，其运输时间可能长达58小时。虽然已有多项研究探讨了与运输相关的应激反应，但这些研究通常涉及实验用啮齿动物和家畜，而对于运输对非人灵长类动物的影响却知之甚少。本文报告了一项关于一群食蟹猴行为变化的研究结果，这些食蟹猴从标准饲养环境通过空运运输，然后安置在标准实验室灵长类动物环境中。在动物出发前、抵达后立即以及之后3周对其进行了研究。使用焦点动物取样法收集了个体时间分配的数据，并通过进食试验收集了等级制度的数据。对数据进行了分析，以了解行为模式的变化以及会在等级变化中体现出来的社会干扰情况。行为发生了变化，这反映出研究组的应激水平有所提高。同样明显的是，尽管行为有一些调整，在到达新场所后最初出现变化之后，第一个月内并未恢复到在繁殖场所观察到的水平。这项研究表明，总体而言，国际航空运输以及在实验室条件下重新安置的过程可能会损害实验动物的福利。
