Careers in
Primate Husbandry (Animal Care)
Nonhuman primates are used in many areas of research, education and
exhibition. All primates in captive conditions need individuals to take care of
them. These primates may live in a zoo, a research laboratory, a university or
even a sanctuary. Not only do the primates need food, water and shelter, but
they also need social companionship and a stimulating environment in which to
grow and develop. Primate husbandry is a broad term which includes providing
basic care (primate caregivers or keepers), basic veterinary care (primate
veterinary technicians), supervision of primate facilities (primate supervisor,
manager or curators), and increased environmental stimulation (environmental
enrichment technician). These positions overlap somewhat. For instance, many
caregivers also provide some veterinary care and enrichment to the animals.
A primate caregiver provides all the daily care for the animals. This
includes cleaning the cages, feeding the primates, checking on their health and
behavior, keeping records, providing special care or medication for certain
animals and other duties. The veterinary technician provides medical care of the
primates, usually under the direction of the veterinarian. The duties of a
technician can vary greatly, but may include care for sick or injured primates,
monitoring primates on medical studies, minor emergency treatment such as
suturing wounds, assistance with surgery and maintaining the medical records of
the animals. The primate caregiver and technician report to the supervisor,
manager or veterinarian.
The supervisor or manager has responsibility for the operation of an animal
care area, including training of new employees, bookkeeping, recordkeeping,
ordering supplies, monitoring budgets, maintaining high standards of animal
care, and assuring compliance with applicable local, state and national laws
regarding primate care and handling. The enrichment technician usually
implements the environmental enrichment program for a primate facility. They may
schedule enrichment items for each day, give out enrichment items like browse or
toys, monitor the use of the enrichment items, monitor the behavior of the
primates and assist with group introductions. The enrichment technician may work
directly for the colony manager, veterinarian, or a behavioral primatologist.
The requirements for working in primate husbandry are diverse, often
depending on the facility and the responsibilities of the position. A few
facilities will hire individuals without any prior training, but will provide
you with the necessary skills and knowledge to care for primates. Usually such
positions will be for a primate caregiver or keeper. However, most other
positions require some type of previous experience and training. College
coursework or training programs in animal behavior, laboratory animal science,
biology, zoology, psychology, primatology and anthropology will be helpful, and
a bachelor level degree is often required. For example, if you are interested in
becoming a veterinary technician, you can take coursework and training to become
a Registered Veterinary Technician.
Facility managers often take courses in business management, animal science
and finance. People working with laboratory primates may become certified as a
Laboratory Animal Technician through a training and certification program by the
American Association for Laboratory Animal
Science. Individuals often start out as animal caregivers, and move up to
veterinary technicians or managers. Environmental enrichment technicians are not
as common in all facilities, but often have some training or experience in
nonhuman primate behavior.
Positions in animal husbandry are often very competitive, and it may be
difficult to obtain the experience required for even entry-level work. At zoos
and some laboratories, there are often volunteer opportunities in which you can
gain experience with primates and other animals. Paid internships and seasonal
work may also be available. This will help in obtaining a permanent job.
Salaries for positions in primate husbandry vary along with the position and
responsibilities of the job.
Working with primates can be a wonderful experience. They are a diverse group
of animals, ranging from tiny tamarins that can fit on your palm, to the large
gorilla, and everything in between. Their behaviors are very complex, they have
various physical appearances and abilities, and their social and cognitive
abilities are amazing. Because of these attributes, primates can also be
difficult. It is necessary to have a good knowledge of each primate species'
natural history to be able to care for them properly. Some are very strong and
dangerous, others are easily injured or stressed. In addition, they require a
high degree of intellectual challenge and stimulation to keep their minds and
physical condition in top shape.
Because of their close relationship to humans, many diseases can be
transmitted from nonhuman primates to us. Primates are also susceptible to human
illnesses and diseases. These zoonoses are not to be taken lightly, and special
safety precautions are required for working with primates to protect them and
you. There are also many regulations regarding the care and use of nonhuman
primates. The primate husbandry expert must be familiar with the standards of
care required by the Animal Welfare Act. In addition, zoos, labs and sanctuaries
may follow specific guidelines to maintain accreditation by a national
association.
If you think you may be interested in nonhuman primate husbandry, you are
probably an individual who is fascinated by primates, who has a caring attitude,
who has a "hands-on" approach, and who is not afraid to get dirty. You
will need to have a lot of patience when working with primates. You probably
also have an interest in simply watching animals, which is important since we
can learn much about their health and welfare this way.
To learn more about nonhuman primates, check out some books from your
library. There are many sources of information on nonhuman primates, including
books, newsletters and journals. If you want to see if this career path is of
interest, sign up to volunteer at the zoo, or talk to a keeper or veterinarian
from a local zoo, lab or sanctuary to get advice. The more experience and
knowledge you have about nonhuman primates, the better your chances of
employment and the more valuable you will be as a primate husbandry expert.
