Brief threatening events beneficial for captive tamarins?

Abstract

Abstract To evaluate speculation indirectly suggesting that brief arousal may be beneficial to animals, 39 cotton‐top tamarins ( Saguinus oedipus ) living in 4 large families were observed (a) after normal husbandry procedures that excite them (capture and brief removal of infants or older monkeys), (b) after exposure to an over‐flying bird model, and (c) compared with control days in which neither of the above occurred. Both arousal conditions caused a decrease in play and locomotion, and an increase in grooming and contact during the remainder of the day. These behavioral changes are similar to the patterns reported as positive effects of enrichment but are dissimilar to negative effects of long‐term stressors reported. The pattern of changes in studies of enrichment and of stress enables more objective evaluation of ambiguous events.