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BMC - Abnormal Behavior Ethogram
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Abnormal Behavior Definitions
Abnormal behavior has been observed in a wide variety of primate species housed in zoos, laboratories and sanctuaries. Behaviors can be considered abnormal if they are qualitatively different (i.e., occur in captivity but not typically in the natural setting) or quantitatively different (i.e., occur significantly more or significantly less than what is observed in the natural setting). Although abnormal behavior does not generally cause an animal harm, it can be an indicator of suboptimal environments, either past or present. Therefore, abnormal behavior is often used as a measure of wellbeing in captive nonhuman primates.
Establishing common definitions is a critical step in the standardization of terminology and assessment tools. This standardization is necessary for cross-center collaborative research, not only for attaining inter-observer reliability in data collection, but also to identify study subjects when employing inclusion criteria that focus on particular behaviors. This research will guide continued refinement of practices used to minimize the development and optimize the treatment of abnormal behavior.
Abnormal Behavior Ethogram
Bizarre Posture: Holding a seemingly uncomfortable or contorted position
Bob: A rapid and repetitive* up and down motion of the body on flexed limbs; animal does not leave the cage surface
Bounce: Repetitively* using one’s hind legs or all four limbs to push oneself off the cage surface
Coprophagy: Ingesting or manipulating feces in the mouth
Eye Poke/ Salute (Periorbital contact): Animal holding hand, digit, and/or object against/near one's eyebrow or eye
Feces paint: Smearing and/or rubbing feces on a surface
Flip: Repeated forward or backwards somersaults, may utilize the cage sides or ceiling
Floating limb: An arm or leg rises into the air and may or may not contact the body (e.g., gently stroking the body). The action appears to be non-volitional; the animal may interact with the limb as if it is not part of the body. This behavior may be associated with SIB such as self-biting or self-hitting
Food smear: Spreading of chewed food on a surface with the mouth; food is often licked off
Hair Pluck: Removal of hair from one’s own body by pulling with teeth or hands, often seen with a quick jerking motion
Head banging: Repetitively* and forcefully hitting the head against an object or surface
Head toss: Repetitively*moving head side to side, or in a circular manner
Pace: Repetitive* locomotion following the same path- for example, walking back and forth on the ground, around the enclosure, or back and forth across bars
Regurgitate: The backward flow of already swallowed food- the material may be retained in the mouth or deposited on a surface and re-ingested
Repetitive Licking: Prolonged or excessive contact of tongue with a surface or object for no apparent reason
Rock: Any rhythmic motions of the body from a stationary position. Animal remains sitting or standing while the upper torso sways back and forth
Self-bite: Closing teeth rapidly and with force on oneself
Self-clasp: Clutching one's own body with hands or feet
Self-injure: Any behavior by the animal that causes physical trauma to itself such as bruising, lesions, lacerations, or punctures
Self-oral: Sucking a part of one's own body
Self-slap: Forcibly striking oneself with hands or feet
Spin: Repetitive*circling of body around a pivot point
Urophagy: Licking or ingesting urine
Withdrawn: Slumped or hunched body posture, often accompanied by dull eyes, and relatively unresponsive to environmental stimuli to which other monkeys are or typically would be attending
Other Stereotypical locomotion: Idiosyncratic repetitive* whole body movements, particular to an individual; does not meet criteria for other behaviors defined above
*Repetitive = a minimum of 2 or 3 times, depending on your facility’s criteria
Abnormal Behavior Publications
