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Subject: Livestock Production and Management × Author: LIVIN RAJ V. L. × End date: 2023 × Start date: 2020 × Thesis Type: M.V.Sc. ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    BEHAVIOURAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE OF CAPTIVE MACAQUES TO STRESSORS
    (COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES MANNUTHY, THRISSUR, KERALA VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCOIENCES UNIVERSITY, 2022-01-02) LIVIN RAJ V. L.; Dr. S. Biju
    Animal behaviour was an important tool in assessing the welfare of animals, and a study on behaviour and the stress inducing factors in captivity was essential to ensure welfare and thus successful breeding and conservation. The present study was conducted to assess the behavioural and physiological response of captive macaques to stressors, and to identify areas where intervention was needed. The three macaque species namely Lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus), Rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) and Bonnet macaque (Macaca radiata) housed in Kerala zoos were studied. The group size and composition, and the enclosure provisions for these species were documented. It was observed that visitor presence hadn’t significantly affected the within the group behavioural interaction in the macaque species. The appeasement behaviour was significantly (P< 0.05) higher in Bonnet macaques as compared to Lion-tailed macaques. Verbal teasing was the prominent interaction of visitors to macaques and the response of macaques to visitors were mostly neutral. The behavioural interaction of macaques to zookeepers and vermins were also neutral. On observing the general behaviour, maintenance behaviour was more prominent in all the macaque species and visitors had no effect on the manifestation of general behaviours. The composition and quantity of ration provided in captivity were documented, and found that Lion- tailed macaques and Rhesus macaques have more preference to fruits in their ration. Endoparasitic prevalence of Coccidia, Strongyle and Trichuris were identified in the macaques, with higher prevalence of endoparasitism in Bonnet macaques. Visitor’s presence had no effect on the faecal glucocorticoid metabolite level in the three macaque species. But faecal glucocorticoid metabolite level was found to be positively correlated with eggs per gram of Strongyle in Rhesus and Bonnet macaques, and oocysts per gram in all the macaque species. Better breeding performance was recorded in Bonnet macaques. Proper vaccination and deworming were practiced for the prevention and control of diseases in the zoos.