Validating body posture as a novel marker of well-being in animals
Grantee: Nicola Koyama
Institution: Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom
Grant amount: $9,995
Grant type: Seed grants
Focal species: Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus)
Conservation status: Endangered
Disciplines: Primatology, animal behavior, physiology
Research locations: United Kingdom, Morocco
Project summary
A few studies on non-human primates have found that a hunched posture is a response to social separation and physical inflammation, but research linking whole body posture and physiological measures of welfare is lacking. This project will combine established measures of affective valence (nasal temperature) and arousal (iris-pupil ratio) to validate body posture as a new measure of affective valence. Two months of video data will be collected and used for thermal imaging, behavioral, and postural analysis from groups of wild Barbary macaques, along with pilot data for comparison from non-human primate zoo animals. Ultimately, the project aims to share a new validated measure and conceptual framework that can be applied to a range of wild mammals.
Why we funded this project
This project will validate an indicator for assessing welfare that could be relevant across primates, and provide proof of concept for its application in the field.