Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T18:24:53.140Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Measuring Gut Passage Times in Small New World Monkeys

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

E C Price*
Affiliation:
Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust, Trinity, Jersey, British Isles Present address: Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

A simple technique for investigating gut passage times in small New World primates was developed, which produced good results without any need for special housing or diet, or for the separation of monkeys from their groups. This technique, which allowed the administration of a faecal marker, chromium oxide, to specific individuals, was used to investigate gut passage times in five species of the genera Callithrix, Saguinus, Leontopithecus and Callimico. Overall, average gut passage time was 4.5 hours, and there were no species differences. Such nondisruptive methods could help in assessing the effects of dietary changes in captive monkeys, and therefore be of considerable value in improving captive diets and hence welfare and breeding success.

Type
Technical Contribution
Copyright
© 1993 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

References

Allchurch, A F 1986 The Nutritional Handbook of the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust. Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust: Jersey, Channel IslandsGoogle Scholar
Crissey, S D, Oftedal, O T, Currier, J A and Rudran, R 1990 Gastro-intestinal tract capacity, food passage rates and the possible role of fiber in diets fed to captive red howler monkeys (Alouatta seniculus) in Venezuela. Proceedings of the American Association of Zoo Vets 1990: 8186Google Scholar
Ferrari, S F and Lopes Ferrari, M A 1989 A re-evaluation of the social organisation of the Callitrichidae, with reference to the ecological differences between genera. Folia Primatologica 52: 132147CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ganzhorn, J U 1986 Feeding behavior of Lemur catta and Lemur fulvus. International Journal of Primatology 7: 1730CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Garber, P A 1986 The ecology of seed dispersal in two species of callitrichid primates (Saguinus mystax and Saguinus fuscicollis). American Journal of Primatology 10: 155170CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Krombach, F, Flurer, C I and Zucker, H 1984 Effects of fibre on digestibility and passage time in Callithricidae. Laboratory Animals 18: 275279CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mallinson, J J C 1975 The design of two marmoset complexes at the Jersey Zoological Park. Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust Annual Report 12: 2126Google Scholar
Milton, K, Soest, P J Van and Robertson, J P 1980 Digestive efficiences of wild howler monkeys. Physiological Zoology 53: 402409CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nash, L T 1989 Galagos and gummivory. Human Evolution 4: 199206CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Price, E C 1992a The Health and Nutrition of Geoffroy’s Marmoset (Callithrix geoffroyi) at the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust. Unpublished report, Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust: Jersey, Channel IslandsGoogle Scholar
Price, E C 1992b The nutrition of Geoffroy’s marmoset Callithrix geoffroyi at the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust. Dodo, Journal of the Wildlife Preservation Trusts 28: 5869Google Scholar
Ruggiero, L F and Whelan, J B 1977 Chromic oxide as an indicator of total fecal output in white-tailed deer. Journal of Range Management 30: 6163CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rylands, A B 1989 Sympatric Brazilian callitrichids: the black tufted-ear marmoset, Callithrix kuhli; and the golden-headed lion tamarin, Leontopithecus chrysomelas. Journal of Human Evolution 18: 679695CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Siegel, S 1956 Nonparametric Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences. McGraw-Hill: New YorkGoogle Scholar
Sokal, R R and Rohlf, F J 1981 Biometry. Freeman: New YorkGoogle Scholar
Stevenson, M F and Rylands, A B 1988 The marmosets, genus Callithrix. In Mittermeier R A, Rylands A B, Coimbra-Filho A F and Fonseca GAB (eds) Ecology and Behavior of Neotropical Primates, volume 2 pp 131222. World Wildlife Fund: Washington DCGoogle Scholar