Elsevier

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

Volume 49, Issue 4, 15 September 1996, Pages 403-415
Applied Animal Behaviour Science

An analysis of regurgitation and reingestion in captive chimpanzees

https://doi.org/10.1016/0168-1591(96)01061-1Get rights and content

Abstract

The abnormal behavioral pattern of regurgitation and reingestion (RR) is poorly understood in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). This study assesses RR in 13 indoor-housed chimpanzees living in pairs and trios. Focal animal sampling data were used to calculate scores for RR, two other classes of abnormal behavior (abnormal behaviors with oral components and those without oral components), and affiliative social behavior. RR was observed in 85% of study subjects, an elevated proportion in comparison to a previously published survey of captive chimpanzee populations. Contexts and temporal patterns of RR suggest that detection of this behavior may in many cases require observations outside of daily management routines. Social disturbances did not elicit this behavior. Statistical tests showed no relationship between individual differences in RR rates and rates of other abnormal behavior classes, time engaged in affiliative behaviors, number of cagemates or housing history; nor were sex differences detected. Meal composition was not found to effect the time devoted to RR. Statistical tests did show a strong positive relationship between rates of RR and elapsed time since feeding. These results suggest that increasing meal frequency or providing consistently available edible material may prove more broadly effective than altering meal composition. Temporal distributions of RR differed from those of abnormal behaviors, suggesting that factors such as boredom, hunger or other sources of stress may differentially affect the expression of various classes of abnormal behavior.

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