Music as enrichment for Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii)

• DOI: 10.19227/jzar.v4i3.231
• Publication Date: 2016-08-02
• Authors: Sarah Ritvo; Suzanne E. MacDonald
• Keywords: Silence; Pongo pygmaeus

Music is commonly employed as auditory enrichment in NHP facilities under the assumption that music enriching for NHPs it humans (Hinds et al., 2007; Lutz & Novak, 2005). The purpose of this study was to assess utility by exploring musical preference and discriminative ability three Sumatran orangutans. In Experiment 1, orangutan vs. silence tested. Following exposure a sample belonging one seven genres, orangutans were given choice via touchscreen continue listen previously played or instead. Results indicated all either preferred indifferent. No any genres tested over others found. 2, orangutans’ discriminate from scrambled assessed using touchscreen-delivered standard delayed matching-to-sample (DMTS) task. none could reliably ‘music’ ‘scrambled music’. Taken together, results strongly suggest these did not experience stimuli reinforcing use captive may be more aversive than some species.