Primate Update Newsletter, Volume 5, Issue 5

Growing Momentum to End Animal Experimentation For decades, hundreds of millions of animals have suffered at human hands, being subjected to medical tests, poor living conditions and cruel treatment in research laboratories.  Although many people have fought against animal testing arguing that it is outdated, inhumane and unethical, researchers have claimed that it is necessary for human safety, health and medical progress. At Pacific Primate Sanctuary, we have witnessed the suffering of research animals first hand, as we have provided refuge to many monkeys from laboratories.  For example, Echo, a critically endangered cotton top tamarin, arrived with missing fingers and toes anda torn and bleeding lip. Echo was emotionally and mentally injured as well, attempting to mutilate her first offspring because she didn’t know how to care for him.  At PPS, Echo learned how to be a mother, and to nurture her children. Marmosets are highly social animals, but when Bruno, a white tufted eared marmoset, arrived he was unable to interact with other monkeys.  He would not allow his new partner, a beautiful female named Brenda, to have access to food.  With patience and conditioning, we were able to help Bruno accept a partner. The two became very close and Bruno was finally able to experience the benefits of social living.   Other research monkeys have come to the Sanctuary, barely alive, in terrible physical and psychological pain as a result of poor animal husbandry and neglect.  (Please read the story of ANEAS at:http://pacificprimate.org/stories.htm). For years we have advocated for an end to animals testing and, finally, there is some positive movement in that direction. The European Union (E.U.) has been leading the charge to eliminate animal testing for cosmetics.  In 2004, the E.U. banned animal testing of finished cosmetic products within it’s member states, then in 2009 the ban extened animal testing of cosmetic ingredients.  This year, the E.U. has banned the import and sale of all cosmetics with any animal tested ingredients in the 28 member states, and has pledged to push other parts of the world to accept alternatives to animal testing. In the United States, we are seeing positive changes for chimpanzees incarcerated in laboratories.  The US Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed a rule that will list ALL chimanzees as Endangered.  Currently, only wild chimps are considered endangered, while those bred in captivity are only listed as Threatened.  If the propsed rule goes through, captive chimpanzees will be offered the same protection as their wild counterparts under the Endangered Species Act.  This will significantly reduce the use and exploitation of chimps in entertainment, biomedical research and the pet trade. In 2011, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) requested a study by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to review and assess the current and anticipated use of chimpanzees in biomedical and behavioral research.  The committee concluded that “while the chimpanzee has been a valuable animal model in the past, most current biomedical research use of chimpanzees is not necessary.” The NIH is now working towards substantially reducing the use of chimpanzees in NIH-funded biomedical research, and has begun the process of relocating over 300 chimps to sanctuaries.  Unfortunately, 50 chimps will remain in the research facilities.  The IOM did make many suggestions to improve the lives and wellbeing of these chimps, and the NIH is working to create better living spaces for the chimps that it will be retaining. Recently, a study was done that questioned the validity of using animals as reliable test subjects. The research began when investigators noticed that, in their medical specialism of inflammatory disease (diabetes, asthma, allergies, arthritis, etc.), drugs developed using mice have had a 100% failure rate in almost 150 clinical trials on humans. The purpose of the study was to determine if mice, one of the most commonly used research species, respond similarly to humans with regards to inflammation. The study concluded that mice do NOT respond similarly to humans, and are poor models for inflammatory testing.  Many companies assure us their products are “safe” because they have been tested on animals, but this study provides evidence to the contrary! With evidence like this, you may wonder, why are we still using animals as test subjects?  Dr. Jonathan Latham, from Independent Science News sums it up well: “…animal research is now big business. One genetically engineered mouse can cost $100,000 while a mouse treadmill can set taxpayers back $9,600. For medical researchers, animal research offers a steady income and a successful career pathway regardless of whether, as in the field of inflammation, experiments deliver practical benefits to patients. These are just some of the entrenched interests maintaining the animal testing system. Other prominent beneficiaries include the food and chemical industries which profit from the public perception of safety derived from animal testing.”  Hopefully, as more studies like this are done, we will begin to see more companies using alternative methods for their research. Public perception of animal testing is definitely changing— a recent gallup poll showed that support of medical testing on animals has decreased across all age groups polled over the last 12 years.  We still have a long way to go before all animal testing is terminated, but consciousness seems to be shifting and the barbaric exploitation of other living beings may, one day, be looked upon as an archaic aberration in human behavior, similar to the enslavement of other races, women and children. "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." —Mohandas K. Gandhi Reference sites: -http://truth-out.org/news/item/16208-the-experiment-is-on-us-science-of-animal-testing-thrown-into-doubt -http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jun2013/od-26.htm -http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/27/science/us-to-retire-most-chimps-from-research.html - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3587220/ http://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2011/Chimpanzees/chimpanzeereportbrief.pdf WHAT’S HAPPENING at PPS   Happy 19th Birthday Bruno!  White tufted eared marmoset, Bruno, turned 19 years old on July 4th.  Bruno is the oldest marmoset at Pacific Primate Sanctuary, and was given refuge from a research facility 16 years ago. We prepared a ti-leaf present filed with his favorite food— peanuts in the  shell, and added strawberry jelly. Watching him enjoy his special birthday treats was a celebration for us too. Be happy and well, Bruno! Spider Monkey Breakfast You can see Carlos and Montana enjoy their breakfast on YouTube. Watch as the two spider monkey brothers delight in eating papaya, lychee, and celery with peanut butter. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr6BD875Gis Produce for the Monkeys Thank you to PPS Volunteers, Druanne, Jonathan, Paul and Laura, for bringing delicious fresh produce to share with the monkeys!  They really enjoy the gifts and your loving-kindness in providing for their needs.   THANK YOU to PPS SUPPORTERS Pacific Primate Sanctuary is so grateful to two PPS Partners for their generous, long time support of our life-saving work. Thank you to Joani for funding our vital Internship Program for 2013-2014. Our immersion internship provides a unique and valuable learning experience for the Interns, and enables us to staff the facility and provide a high level of care to the fragile animals here.  Because of this grant, the Interns and our COO can continue their meaningful service at Pacific Primate Sanctuary as stewards of our precious planet and the caregivers of the beings we share it with. The Bendons recently contributed to our Malama Ola the Monkeys grant, to care for the health and lives of the monkeys at Pacific Primate Sanctuary. Their contribution helps us to provide for the well being of the 60 threatened and endangered animals at the Sanctuary, by ensuring that they receive proper nutrition and medical care. The compassion, charity, and good hearts of our donors makes what we do possible.  We appreciate these contributions more than words can express!   NOTABLE NEWS NERPRC Closure Harvard University has announced the closure of its research facility, the New England Regional Primate Research Center (NERPRC).  The process will take two years, and all of the animals will be relocated over that time. The primates at this lab have suffered enough, and deserve to spend the rest of their days being cared for in places where their needs are the first and only priority. We have made contact with NERPRC, requesting that some of the marmosets and tamarins be placed here at Pacific Primate Sanctuary.  Sign the following petition to urge NERPRC to place these animals into Sanctuaries and Refuges, rather than back into the research industry! http://www.change.org/petitions/release-the-primates-from-harvard-s-new-england-primate-research-center  Buycott App Buycott is a great App that will help you make more informed purchases. Choose to purchase from companies that support your values (such as animal welfare and the environment)- and avoid those that fund causes you oppose.  Ethical shopping is a great way to make a difference on a daily basis!  Go to Buycott.com for more information.   WAYS YOU CAN HELP the MONKEYS at PPS Pacific Primate Sanctuary is a small community of volunteers, doing a big job.  We spend very little on fundraising and nothing on administration. Your donations go directly to caring for the animals! The monkeys depend upon the support of compassionate people for their survival. Please help the Sanctuary protect the lives of these threatened beings and preserve their species.  Below are several important ways that you can become a partner in our life-saving work. Malama Ola the Monkeys Please support our online fundraiser- Malama Ola the Monkeys (to care for the health and lives of the monkeys).This vital funding helps provide food and medical care to the 60 monkeys at Pacific Primate Sanctuary. If all of our supporters could give at least $5, we would be able to provide food, medicine, and vet care for the animals for a year!   To make an online donation to the health and lives of the monkeys, go to: http://www.gofundme.com/32x3zo Every contribution helps to feed and care for the threatened monkeys at Pacific Primate Sanctuary! Please spread the word, and share this fundraiser with your friends and family via e-mail, Facebook, Twitter and blogs.                                                                                                                                                                                           GoFundMe You can host your own online fundraiser for Pacific Primate Sanctuary using GoFundMe. Search for Pacific Primate Sanctuary at the following link, and you can set up a unique charity website to help raise money for PPS!  http://www.gofundme.com/charity-donations/ Spread the Word One great way for you to support the monkeys at Pacific Primate Sanctuary is by sharing information about our refuge with others.  Pass this E-Newsletter on to your family and friends and encourage them to “Like” us on Facebook—http://www.facebook.com/PacificPrimateSanctuary GoodSearch.com provides many different opportunities to raise money to PPS, all without any additional cost to you!  Use their yahoo based search engine, and we get a penny for each search you do.  Shop online at hundreds of stores through GoodShop.com, and a portion of each purchase will be donated to PPS. There are also a dining club- GoodDining.com, online surveys, and special online product offers, games, which also contribute a percentage to PPS! Give the Gift of Your Service and Volunteer Your Time We are currently in need of ANIMAL CAREGIVER VOLUNTEERS for the AM and/or PM shifts! Activities include preparing food for the monkeys, cleaning, keeping records, and responsibly overseeing the health and well being of the animals. PPS is seeking a volunteer ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT with experience in office management, HR, secretarial work, fundraising, grant writing, etc. PPS also needs a Volunteer OFFICE ASSISTANT to help with: correspondence, filing, computer input, and other general office duties. We are looking for mature team players who are willing to make a long-term commitment to the Sanctuary. Retirees are most welcome.  Please e-mail us at pps@aloha.net if you are interested in any of these positions and joining the PPS Team. Gift Contributions Gift Contributions Certificates are a unique and meaningful gift for graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, or any special occasion. Gift Recipients will receive a beautiful Contribution Certificate showing you have made a donation in their name, along with information about PPS.  This thoughtful and significant gift helps to feed and care for the threatened, endangered and distressed primates at Pacific Primate Sanctuary.  Please see our website for details: http://www.pacificprimate.org/help.htm Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s Wish List You can contribute to the monkeys by donating much needed items, including: -commercial power washer                                    -high quality microscope -heavy-duty weed eater                                      -gram staining supplies                       -gardening supplies & equipment                             -sewing machine -small handheld vacuum                                       -construction tools -pillowcases                                                      -ride-on lawn mower    Please contact us at pps@aloha.net if you have an item to donate! How to Donate Directly We deeply appreciate your continued partnership. You, and your family and friends, can make tax-deductible donations to the Sanctuary on our Website: www.pacificprimate.org and onFaceBook, using PayPal, or by sending a check to:   Pacific Primate Sanctuary 500-A Haloa Road  Haiku, HI 96708 With your support, you make everything we do possible!   PPS INTERNSHIP Introducing PPS January Resident Intern, Madeline We are pleased to announce our most recently selected Intern, Madeline!  She will be joining us in January, when Intern Rachel completes her Internship.  Madeline has a degree in Zoology, and has spent the last 2 years caring for primates in a research laboratory.  She is looking forward to having the opportunity to care for primates in a setting where their needs come first!  We feel certain that Madeline will become a valuable member of Team PPS! In her acceptance letter, Madeline writes:             I am thrilled beyond words for the opportunity to join the staff and volunteers at Pacific Primate Sanctuary. I have loved all animals since I was a child, but my passion for non-human primates came when, as a freshman in college, I enrolled in a psychology course entitled “Animal Behavior: The Primates.”  That class stirred me in a way that no class had before. At the beginning of my sophomore year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I added Zoology as a double major (Child Development being my first major) and began focusing my studies and leisure readings on humans’ closest relatives.  For two years, I cared for rhesus macaques in a laboratory setting, aiming to make their lives as comfortable as I could.  However, it did not take long for me to conclude that I did not want to work in a laboratory setting and that my place was at a sanctuary, a safe haven, where the animals truly come first. My interest in primate conservation prompted me to seek out Professor Karen Strier, recognized for her dedication to the muriqui of Brazil.  I was fortunate enough to take both of her courses: “Primate Conservation” and “Primate Behavioral Ecology.”  In addition, I became a Volunteer Assistant for her Muriqui Behavioral Ecology Database, where I compiled behavioral data for analysis. Upon graduating this past May, I returned home to Minnesota to become a Mammal Nursery Intern at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Roseville, a sanctuary whose ultimate goal is release.  My position includes all aspects of animal care for orphaned and injured wildlife, such as bunnies, squirrels, raccoons, foxes, beavers, and bats.  Through my work as a caretaker for the monkeys in the lab and for the mammals at the sanctuary, I have ample experience administering medication, performing both SQ and IM injections, and giving fluids to sick animals. Some people live a lifetime and never find their passion, that thing that makes them feel they have found their purpose on this earth.  I was fortunate to find mine, quite by accident, at the tender age of 19.  I am grateful for the ways in which I could make the lives of the macaques better and I am grateful to be saving lives each week at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.  I have learned much from these experiences, and I am excited to bring my skill set to PPS, where I can utilize what I know and learn so much more about being a primate caregiver, an animal welfare activist, and a sanctuary worker. At the lab, I learned how the animals acted as a species, coming to know very few of the individual macaques.  I look forward to getting to know each of the monkeys at Pacific Primate Sanctuary and becoming familiar with individual characteristics and tendencies.  Moreover, I look forward to seeing these creatures thrive and enjoy life.  I do believe that Pacific Primate Sanctuary will be healing for me as well. Mahalo. I cannot wait to join the Pacific Primate Sanctuary team!     CONTINUING EDUCATION   Special Topic: Intern Edie A Basic Overview of Capuchin Sensory Systems-Vision, Audition, Olfaction, Taste and Tactile Sensitivity Capuchin eyesight is comparable to that of humans in that they see fine detail as we do, have a similar to slightly increased sensitivity to brightness after adapting to darkness and they have color vision. Humans and capuchins have a similar flicker fusion frequency rate and Capuchins also see in color vision as we do. To break it down, humans have what is called trichromatic vision. In trichromatic vision the eye contains 3 photo pigments. Each photo pigment responds specifically to light of different wavelengths. Some people have what is called dichromatic vision where they lack one of the 3 photo pigments & have difficulty discriminating between certain hues. Vision researchers have found that female capuchins can have either trichromatic or dichromatic vision while male capuchins have dichromatic vision that resembles a form of color blindness found in humans. Male capuchins see some light wavelengths as pure yellow, while a human or monkey with trichromat vision would see it as green or as red. The variation of photo pigments held by capuchins is found to be determined by a single sex linked genetic component found on the X chromosome. In terms of auditory abilities, capuchins have a very keen sense of hearing. Primate studies have revealed that all primate species share similar capabilities at hearing low frequency sounds, yet have different sensitivities to higher frequency sounds. New world monkeys hear frequencies that are much higher than that detected by a human. Most capuchin vocalizations lie within a sound spectrum of frequencies audible to humans. They do however emit higher pitch vocalizations that have components that are at a frequency too high for human ears to detect. Capuchins also hear high-pitched sounds at a louder intensity t han we do as humans. There is little known on the auditory capabilities of capuchins in detecting the source/location of sounds. Capuchin behaviors indicate that they utilize olfaction as a daily part of their lives. Capuchins are known to participate in scent marking, urine washing and anointing. Capuchins are known to utilize vision primarily over olfactory in finding food resources.  Studies have shown capuchins to be capable of distinguishing particular food odors and being able to discriminate between fruity foods and other food items. The types and density of receptors on the tongues of capuchins indicates their taste capabilities are typical for that of most primate species. Capuchins have an increased sensitivity to detecting the presence and concentration of sugars. They are able to determine the ripeness of a fruit based on its sugar content and will accept bitter foods if they contain adequate sugar content. All animals have a variety of receptors around their hair follicles and on the skin that allow for tactile sensitivity. In addition to these common receptors, primates have a specialized receptor on the surface of their hands and feet that function as receptors of pressure and friction. They also have ridges on their epidermis that provide increased sensitivity to pressure and friction compared to that of other animals. Reference: -Fragaszy, D., Visalberghi, E., Fedigan, L. (2004). The Complete Capuchin-The Biology of the Genus Cebus. Cambridge University Press.   Special Topic: Intern Rachel Comparative aspects of the social suppression of reproduction in female marmosets and tamarins (D.H. Abbott, J. Barrett, and L.M. George)   Marmosets and tamarins exhibit an extremely specialized form of reproduction suppression that is one of the major characteristics of the Callitrichidae. Most primates demonstrate reproductive suppression in lower birth rates and infant survival in subordinate females compared with the dominant female(s). In groups of marmosets and tamarins, by contrast, the dominant female is the only breeding female who actively maintains her dominant breeding status through social dominance behavior and by inhibiting ovulation in subordinate females. Callithrix jacchus, or the white tufted marmoset, inhibit sexual behavior and reproductive physiology of other females in the group. In captive studies, most subordinate females in family marmoset groups do not ovulate at all, or their cycles are inadequate for reproduction. Sexual interactions are rare for subordinate females and daughters of the dominant female. While there is suppression of sexual behaviors, the physiological suppression is likely a more relevant impairment to reproduction for lower ranking females. Suppressed ovulation is due to the suppressed secretion of the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which plays a large role in controlling the complex process of ovulation in female vertebrates. The pheromones of the dominant female marmoset is a factor that triggers this suppression and subordinate females who were removed from the dominant female, and her scent, in a captive study began to ovulate almost immediately. Cotton top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) display the same kinds of suppression, both physiological and behavioral, from the dominant female. Suppressed cyclicity may not occur all the time in all subordinate female cotton-tops and there is some evidence that approximately 50 percent of non-breeding females have some sort of ovulatory cycle, though it was not clear how often these cycles happen or if they are complete. The pheremonal component of reproductive suppression is similar to that in white tufted marmosets, as well as social behavioral suppression. Saddleback tamarins also show suppressed ovarian cycles and in captive studies when a subordinate female is removed from the dominant and then paired with a male, ovulation begins immediately. It is likely that this specialized reproductive strategy evolved because of, or in conjunction with, three reasons. Subordinate females may benefit from staying with their natal groups longer because establishing their own new breeding group with a separate territory is difficult. A second reason is that the communal rearing system is crucial in maximizing the chances of survival of the dominant females offspring. Not having the help of the non-breeding females would significantly lower the infant survival rate, as it has been found in other mammals that larger groups are more successful at rearing young then smaller groups. A third reason could be that is essential for young, non-breeding females to gain early experience with infant-care taking if they are to be successful rearing their own. This has become an important point in captive management of callitrichids; as prior experiences with infants is a perquisite for captive-born females to successfully rear their own offspring. These three reasons are then enhanced by the high rate of genetic relationships among group members. This highly specialized reproductive suppression is thus shown to be a beneficial strategy for these little primates. -Rylands, A.B. Marmosets and Tamarins. Systematics, Behavior, and Ecology. Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 1993. "If a man aspires towards a righteous life, his first act of abstinence is from injury to animals." — Albert Einstein We hope you have enjoyed this issue of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s E-Newsletter. Thank you for your support of our life saving work. Because of compassionate people, the Sanctuary can continue to provide a place of peace and happiness for 60 primates saved from research laboratories, animal dealers, and tourist attractions. Here they can heal, form social groups, and live free from exploitation.