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Simple Summary: Interdisciplinary studies on animal behavior and health management have increased over the years. Interdisciplinary collaboration involving behaviorists and veterinarians is vital for advancing animal welfare, particularly in diverse settings, such as farms, zoos, and laboratories. Behaviorists design enrichment devices to promote species-typical behaviors, while veterinarians ensure that these devices are safe to balance natural behaviors with safety, particularly for non-human primates in captivity such as Macaca fascicularis (long-tailed macaques). One way to achieve this is by adding an enrichment device, such as a fire hose square knot browser, to stimulate natural behaviors, improve welfare, and reduce stress-related behaviors. Here, we examined the impact of the device on the behavior of 32 captive long-tailed macaques using scanning and instantaneous sampling methods. We found that the device significantly increased eating and affiliative behaviors, while reducing resting, agonistic, and stereotypic behaviors. These findings suggest that the fire hose square knot browser effectively promotes natural foraging behaviors and enhances social interactions of captive long-tailed macaques. The study highlights the importance of these devices in managing and aligning with animal welfare science, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration and implementing strategies that ensure the physical and mental well-being of animals in captive facilities. Effective management of captive M. fascicularis (long-tailed macaques) is crucial for maintaining high-quality research models, necessitating strategies to promote their welfare. This study evaluated the impact of a foraging enrichment device, the "fire hose square knot browser", on the behavior of 32 long-tailed macaques at the Primate Research Center of IPB University in Bogor, Indonesia. We observed and analyzed daily behaviors across various food types over 288 h using scan and instantaneous sampling methods. Statistical analyses, including ANOVA and Kruskal–Wallis tests, revealed significant behavioral changes in the presence of the foraging enrichment device. The foraging enrichment device notably increased eating and affiliative behaviors, while reducing resting, agonistic, and stereotypic behaviors. No significant differences in eating, auto-grooming, resting, sexual, agonistic, or stereotypic behaviors were observed between the morning and afternoon. However, mobility and affiliation behaviors varied between these periods. The highest percentage of eating behavior occurred with the enrichment foraging device and a mixture of fruits. Furthermore, a three-way non-parametric analysis suggests a significant effect of food type and treatment on behaviors such as mobility and stereotyping. These findings underscore the positive impact of foraging enrichment devices on promoting active behavior and enhancing animal welfare in captive long-tailed macaques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
