Research Activity Report
Supported by “Leading Graduate Program in Primatology and Wildlife Science”(Please be sure to submit this report after the trip that supported by PWS.)

2015. 11, 29
Affiliation/Position

Primate Research Institute/M1

Name

Gao Jie

1. Country/location of visit
Kumamoto Sanctuary
2. Research project
Animal welfare course, enrichment for bonobos and chimpanzees
3. Date (departing from/returning to Japan)
2015. 11. 24 – 2015. 11. 27 (4 days)
4. Main host researcher and affiliation
Dr. Hirata, Professor, Dr. Morimura, Associate Professor, Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University
5. Progress and results of your research/activity (You can attach extra pages if needed)
Please insert one or more pictures (to be publicly released). Below each picture, please provide a brief description.

During this animal welfare course, we observed chimpanzees and bonobos inKumamoto Sanctuary, made enrichment devices for them, and held abirthday party for bonobo Suzuken.
Kumamoto Sanctuary has 57 chimpanzees, 6 bonobos, and many humans(plus 2 cats).
First we paid a visit to chimpanzee and bonobo living places, and then weobserved box enrichment. Care takers put many attractive things in boxes,including milk, tubes filled with nuts, and bottles filled with fruit blocks.
They put the boxes in accessible places for chimpanzees and bonobos. The
animals came to the boxes and explored them, then they enjoyed milk, nuts
and fruits after making their way to open the containers. I think this is a very
good method for food based enrichment, and it is quite easy to operate.
Our major mission was to invent enrichment devices for chimpanzees andbonobos, and to make three identical devices for each species. Sasaki-san(Tower in chimpanzee outdoor enclosure) and I were in the same team.
Our idea was to have devices for them to play, and we named our devices “Toy Ball”. We chose “toys” for bonobos andchimpanzees and put them in a ball that was made a hole on. The toys we chose were ropes, plastic blocks with peanuts
inserting in, small plastic balls, leaves, the circle materials that had been the hole part in the ball, and bottles withsoybeans or sun flower seeds inside. Also, we thought the ball could be hung in their enclosure, so they could play it asa swing.

(One Toy Ball)
Submit to：report@wildlife-science.org(Contents of one ball)2014.05.27 version

Research Activity Report
Supported by “Leading Graduate Program in Primatology and Wildlife Science”(Please be sure to submit this report after the trip that supported by PWS.)(Making holes. Photo credit: Morimura)(Adding strings. Photo credit: Morimura)(Preparing the little toys. Photo credit: Yamanashi)(Finished! Photo credit: Yamanashi)

We put the six balls in bonobo and chimpanzee enclosures, three balls each, and then conducted observation for 1 hour,and recorded the time duration of animals playing with the devices.

(Three balls in bonobo enclosure. Photo credit: Morimura)(Three balls in chimpanzee enclosure)

In one hour, the total engaging time of the three balls in bonobos is 29.5 minutes, and that in chimpanzees is 43.5
minutes. Also, we found that chimpanzees spent more time in the items from the balls that fall to places far away fromthe balls in the enclosure. Chimpanzees enjoyed longer time than bonobos. They engaged more in manipulating theitems in toy balls.
We also checked change of engaging time. The engaging time for bonobos and chimpanzees decreased along the time.
Probably this was because of he shortage of the resources they can eat. However, the engaging time decreased slower inchimpanzees than bonobos. One possible explanation is that chimpanzees are also interested in the non-food items,
while the three bonobos seemed to focus on food more.
Submit to：report@wildlife-science.org

2014.05.27 version

Research Activity Report
Supported by “Leading Graduate Program in Primatology and Wildlife Science”(Please be sure to submit this report after the trip that supported by PWS.)
Actually we had hoped them to enjoy “Toy Ball” as “playground equipment”. For
example, they could use the ball as a swing, or make a necklace using the rope in the ball.
However, they seemed to use it as “a hung feeding box.” They couldn’t enjoy them for along time because the items in the toy balls were taken out soon. Nevertheless,chimpanzees seemed to be able to manipulate the items better and to be more joyful about
the non-food objects than bonobos.
(Chimpanzee holding a
We had some reflections about making enrichment devices. When we try to make a toyplastic block)ball that we expect them to enjoy for more time, itwould be better to have more complex structure so that they could not take out all
all the items immediately. Also, actually younger chimpanzees or bonobos would
be more interested in toys, so we need to make our “toys” more interesting andattractive when the devices are for adult chimpanzees and bonobos.
The most importantly, in order to keep safe, we must choose stuffs for enrichment
enrichment devices carefully. This time we were asked to modify our devices
before putting them into the enclosures, because the long and soft ropes we(Chimpanzee opening a bottle)
initially used could be very dangerous to them.
We also held a birthday party for bonobo Suzuken. We made a “cake” for her.

(Birthday cake)(Decorating the enclosure)(Happy Suzuken. Photo credit: Yamanashi)

In this course, I had a great experience making enrichment devices for bonobos and chimpanzees and evaluating them. I
was also very excited to see so many chimpanzees and also bonobos living in good facilities and enjoying various
enrichment in Kumamoto Sanctuary. This course helped me understand more about animal welfare in a very vivid andenjoyable way.

(Group photo)

6. Others
Many thanks to Prof. Hirata, Prof. Morimura, Yamanashi-san, and Kano-san for their guidance and help in thiscourse, especially in making enrichment devices for bonobos and chimpanzees.
Submit to：report@wildlife-science.org

2014.05.27 version