Blackwell Publishing Ltd. released the first edition of the Handbook of Primate
Husbandry and Welfare in 2005, written by Sarah Wolfensohn and Paul Honess.
Both authors are at the University of Oxford Band are well known in the veterinary
and primatology fields. This handbook is written as a field guide suitable
for scientists, caretakers, and staff requiring additional knowledge of primate
care and well-being in a zoo or laboratory setting. The handbook covers many
Old and New World species of primates, focusing much of the attention on those
species
commonly used in research laboratory settings.
The handbook is divided into nine chapters ranging from an overview of primate
characteristics, welfare, ethical concerns, training, and breeding, to management
of staff, safety concerns for both the personnel and nonhuman primates, and
legislation regarding acquisition
of new stock and their transport. Overall the handbook is a generalized husbandry
guide without in-depth coverage of many of the topics, in part to the diversity
amongst the sizeable number of primate species. Given such a large task, the
authors reference works of other scientists and round out each chapter with
supplementary reading recommendations. Nevertheless, the authors were able
to provide some precise species detail by way of charts and tables with many
quality black and white photos complementing the appropriate chapters.
“Chapter
5: Physical Well-being” is an excellent exception to the basic foundation
of the text and provides wonderful detail and strategy for protecting the primates
as well as their human caretakers. Given the close phylogenic relationship
between man and the non-human primates, zoonotic diseases are a serious health
threat and require adept monitoring and surveillance. The authors provide in-depth
protocol for routine health screening and quarantine programs. General and
neurologic welfare assessment charts are drawn out and suitable for utilization
in the laboratory or zoo setting. Communal housing injuries such as fight wounds
have a detailed protocol to follow dependent upon the severity of injury, in
addition to suitable antibiotic and anesthetic regimens to assist in examination
and treatment.
Through their writing and research experiences, Wolfensohn and Honess convey
a sense of compassion and caring in their efforts to educate not only animal
care staff but the general public as well. There are a tremendous number
of primate species, each with their own peculiar and particular requirements
for
health and well-being. The laboratory personnel and zoo staff must be adequately
trained and qualified to work with such a diverse population but also realize
the individuality of each animal and treat them accordingly. Enriching their
existence, one that provides extensive medical and technological advances,
cannot simply be cast aside due to cost/benefit analysis.
The Handbook of Primate Husbandry and Welfare is a user-friendly, easily
read introduction to the highly specialized and unique world of nonhuman
primates.
Information on the health and care of both Old and New World primates is
broad-based with applications to the husbandry of most primate species.
The ethical treatment
and psychological well being of primates is promoted and advocated in every
arena of the handbook and include suggestions and tactics for such. The
authors consulted many resources including their own years of experience
in the research
and primate fields and provide extensive references for the interested
reader to pursue for more detailed species information.
Wolfensohn, Sarah and Paul Honess. Handbook of Primate Husbandry and Welfare,
Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 2005.
Sandra L. Jex is a veterinarian and consultant. She can be reached at info@alnmag.com.
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Handbook of Primate Husbandry and Welfare
