[The following explains how our campus is dealing with the AWA regulations regarding primates. We plan on doing much more over the next two or three years, (such as pair housing the majority of caged animals), but as of August 1991, this is what we have. We feel it's safer to describe what we are already doing than to base our document on our expectations. PT] August 8, 1991 To: Members, Animal Care and Use Administrative Advisory Committee (AUCAAC) From: Phil Tillman, Campus Veterinarian Re: UC Davis Plan for Environmental Enrichment to Promote Psychological Well-being of Primates. Amendments to the Federal Animal Welfare Act passed by Congress in 1985 and published as final rules in the February 15, 1991 Federal Register require that all research facilities develop a plan for "environmental enhancement adequate to promote the psychological well-being of non-human primates." Facilities were charged to "develop, document, and follow" such plans prior to August 14, 1991. The California Primate Research Center (CPRC) at the University of California, Davis has developed such a plan. The outline below briefly describes how the CPRC plan addresses each of the requirements of the federal regulations. The complete text of the plan is available to members of the committee on request. The plan is likely to be amended in the future as CPRC learns more about the effectiveness of proposed enhancements and as CPRC is able to provide further refinements in their caging systems. AUCAAC will be informed of any future modifications of the plan. CPRC will provide the Office of the Campus Veterinarian with the most current version of the plan. The Campus Veterinarian will provide copies of the most current version of the plan to USDA animal welfare inspectors and federal funding agencies on request. UCD Environmental Enrichment Plan for Primates - Summary - I. SOCIAL GROUPING A. Socialization of Nursery-reared Infants 1. From two weeks to four weeks of age, animals are placed in visual contact with other infants for 2-3 hours twice daily. 2. From one month to two months of age, the animals are pair-housed for 4-8 hours daily. 3. From two months to four months of age, the animals are pair-housed 24 hours per day. B. Animals held in Field Cages in social groups Animals are maintained in compatible social groups. C. Animals held in corn-cribs in social groups Animals are maintained in compatible social groups. D. Animals held indoors in cages 1. Pair housing a) Animals housed together as compatible pairs are deemed to have their social needs fully addressed. This pattern of housing is presently available under special circumstances - as in providing socialization for infants and juveniles. It is likely that the numbers of adult animals pair- housed will increase substantially over the next few years provided funding can be obtained to make appropriate modifications in caging. 2. Solitary housing a) Animals within sight and sound of other primates. Animals that were properly socialized with other primates in their youth, and that are maintained in caging that allows them to interact visually and vocally with other primates, are deemed to have their social needs adequately addressed. b) Animals housed alone Animals that are individually housed in ways that don't allow them to see and hear other primates will be provided with daily supplemental activities. These supplemental activities may include supplemental human contact, mirrors, treats, fruit, provision of forage feeding devices, or other measures to be developed by CPRC staff. c) Justification for solitary housing (1) Animals will be housed alone, out of sight and sound of other primates, only when such housing is necessary for the health, safety, or well-being of the animals. Such as: (a) Isolation of aggressive animals or debilitated animals (b) Isolation due to a contagious disease (c) Isolation due to incompatibility with other primates for various reasons (2) Circumstances in which isolation is necessary for the health, safety, or well- being of the animal must be determined in concurrence with the Campus Veterinarian. II. ENVIRONMENTAL ENRICHMENT The federal regulations require that the animals' physical environment be enriched in ways that allow the animals to express species-typical activities. The ways in which the various environments at CPRC are enriched are described below: A. Animals group housed in corn cribs, field cages, or other large enclosures Devices such as perches, swings, barrels, ropes, etc. are continuously available in these enclosures. B. Animals housed in cages 1. Primary enclosures may be enriched by periodic provision of any of the following: a) 1 Foraging boards b) 2 Treat cups c) 3 Various puzzle feeders d) 4 Perches may be provided e) 5 Various toys may be provided 2. At least one of the above environmental enrichments shown above will be made available to each singly housed animal once weekly. III. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS A. Infants and Juveniles 1. Infants and Juveniles reared in group housing a) Infants and Juveniles reared in group housing together with their mother and in intact social groups are deemed to have their social and environmental enrichment needs adequately addressed. 2. Infants and Juveniles reared indoors a) Animals reared indoors in nursery situations will have their social needs addressed as follows: (1) Animals are placed in visual contact with other infants for 2-3 hours twice daily, from two weeks to four weeks of age. (2) From 1 month to 2 months of age, the animals are pair-housed for 4-8 hours daily. (3) From 2 months to 4 months of age, the animals are pair-housed 24 hours per day. b) The environment of animals reared indoors in nursery situations will be enriched as follows: (1) 1 Incubators for infants are enriched by self-feeding devices and supplemental contact and handling by animal care staff. (2) 2 Cages for infants and juveniles are enriched by perches and swings, daily administration of treats, and supplemental contact with animal care staff. B. Animals showing signs of Psychological Distress 1. Observations a) CPRC has appointed and trained a group of "Environmental Enrichment Coordinators". These individuals are trained to evaluate early signs of psychological distress in primates. The environmental enrichment coordinators will assess the status of each animal in each room once weekly. 2. Evaluation a) Animals exhibiting abnormal behaviors will be identified for further social/environmental enrichment. Enrichment coordinators will meet periodically with each other, and with the Enrichment Planning Committee to discuss and evaluate the status of the enrichment program and the efficacy of various enrichment procedures. 3. Supplemental Measures a) Supplemental enrichment techniques for these animals will vary according to the needs of the particular animal, but may include periodic pair housing, more frequent provision of foraging devices, toys, and treats, modifications in caging, supplemental human contact, and other such measures as may be found effective by the Enrichment Coordinators and the Enrichment Planning Committee. C. Research Protocols requiring restricted Activity 1. Protocol to include proposed methods a) Should a particular research protocol require reduced activity or isolation, the scientific need for such isolation must be clearly described in the protocol. The protocol must also describe whatever social/environmental measures will be taken to minimize distress to the animal. 2. Developed in consultation with CPRC staff a) The proposed supplemental measures must be developed by the investigator in conjunction with CPRC animal care staff. 3. Approved by AUCAAC a) Both the necessity for restricted activity and the adequacy of the proposed enrichment methods must be approved by AUCAAC. D. Animals housed in isolation Animals that are individually housed in ways that don't allow them to see and hear other primates will be provided with daily supplemental activities. These supplemental activities may include supplemental human contact, mirrors, treats, toys, fruit, provision of forage feeding devices, or other measures to be developed by CPRC staff. E. Great Apes Great Apes are not housed at the CPRC. Should this situation ever change, the issue will be addressed at that time. F. Restraint devices 1. Approval by AUCAAC a) Any use of restraint devices (other than the routine use of transport cages, squeeze cages, and other temporary restraints used to provide routine veterinary care), must be specifically described and approved by AUCAAC. 2. Enrichment proposed in application if 12 hours plus a) Restraint for periods in excess of 12 hours is not normally approved by AUCAAC. Should such a need ever arise, the proposal must include a detailed description of enrichment methods adequate to promote the well-being of the animal. 3. Standard enrichment if less than 12 hours a) Animals may be placed in restraint for 12 hours or less, subject to AUCAAC approval. Such animals must be previously trained to accept the restraint device. The restraint process must be accompanied by periodic administration of food rewards or other positive reinforcement, as determined by CPRC staff, the enrichment planning committee, and the needs of the particular study. G. Exemptions 1. Individual animals may be exempted from the foregoing Environmental Enrichment Plan only under the following circumstances: a) Exemption for the well-being of the animal An animal may be excluded from the forgoing plan if exclusion from the plan is in the best interest of the animal. Such exemptions are at the sole discretion of the Campus Veterinarian. Exemption of an animal for the benefit of the animal requires written application to the Campus Veterinarian explaining the reason for the exclusion. Any such exemption is limited to thirty days duration by law. All such exemptions will be written, they will never be approved orally. b) For scientific reasons The AUCAAC may exempt an animal or animals for a scientific reason clearly described in the protocol. Such exemptions must be reviewed annually or more frequently as the AUCAAC deems appropriate. 2. Records of all exemptions to be maintained in the Office of the Campus Veterinarian. a) Records of such exemptions must be made available to USDA or other federal agencies on request.