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Survival and mortality of captive former biomedical research chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

Arbogast, Drew M
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1649431213342025

Abstract Details

2022, Master of Arts, Ohio State University, Anthropology.
Data on longevity and mortality are essential for understanding life-history patterns and managing captive animal populations. This is particularly true for long-lived taxa such as nonhuman primates. I used the most comprehensive dataset on captive chimpanzee demography to evaluate life-history patterns in a retired metapopulation of captive former biomedical research (CFBR) chimpanzees. The study synthesized over 51,000 life-years of data recorded between April 15, 1923, and September 16, 2014, representing a total of 2,349 individuals. My goal was to assess the metapopulation’s current age-sex composition, estimate rates of survivorship, mortality, and life expectancy, and compare the CFBR metapopulation to other chimpanzee populations of interest. Results indicated that the contemporary metapopulation is declining in size and increasingly geriatric. The median life expectancy of the entire metapopulation was 32.6 years (males 29.1, females 36.1). For chimpanzees who reached one year of age, the median life expectancy increased to 34.9 years (males 31.0, females 38.8). Survival probability was influenced by both sex and birth type. Females exhibited greater survivorship than males (regression coefficient = -0.34, z = -5.74, p<0.001), which is consistent with sexual selection theory and the notion that males engage more regularly in aggressive, competitive, and risky behaviors than females. Additionally, wild-born individuals exhibited greater survivorship than captive-born individuals (regression coefficient = -0.55, z = -5.89, p<0.001). This result should be treated cautiously, as ascertainment and early-life mortality selection biases likely exaggerated wild-born survivorship. Analyses of life expectancy over time showed continual increases in both median age of living individuals and median age at death, suggesting the CFBR metapopulation has yet to reach its full aging potential in a post-research environment. Finally, I found a seasonal trend in mortality such that more individuals died during the winter months (December-February) compared to other seasons. Future work will focus on how factors such as housing conditions, group size and composition, birth seasonality, and cause of death influence these chimpanzee life history patterns. As the metapopulation ages, consistent monitoring of its demography can help guide age-appropriate husbandry and veterinary care practices and inform management decisions in the future. Demographic analysis of captive and wild populations will further be important for understanding survivorship, mortality, epidemiology, senescence, and aging in both human and nonhuman primates.
Scott McGraw (Advisor)
Debbie Guatelli-Steinberg (Committee Member)
Douglas Crews (Committee Member)
Demography; Physical Anthropology
chimpanzee; demography

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Arbogast, D. M. (2022). Survival and mortality of captive former biomedical research chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1649431213342025

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Arbogast, Drew. Survival and mortality of captive former biomedical research chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). 2022. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1649431213342025.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Arbogast, Drew. "Survival and mortality of captive former biomedical research chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2022. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1649431213342025

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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