Smithsonian's National Zoo Gives Cool Insight Into How They Train Lemurs
This training makes medical exams as easy as pie!
In a fascinating informational article for the Smithsonian National Zoo, primate zookeeper Lynne McMahan gives readers a glimpse into her job. Specifically, she explains how she trained the zoo's lemurs to prepare for in-house vet visits.
This began with simple actions like "touching their nose to a target, sitting on a scale, or presenting a body part," McMahan explains but was even able to take training to the next level. Thanks to her time and effort (and lots of treats) she trained the zoo's black-and-white ruffed and ring-tailed lemurs how to stand in position for awake radiographs.
Aside from being downright adorable, this lemur named Bowie is so good at following his keeper's directions! There was lots of practice and lots of treats on his side, of course, but it's even more interesting to hear about the way McMahan taught him and the other lemurs to stand this way for exams.
First, McMahan found (or possibly made) supportive T-stands made out of PVC pipe. This is what the lemurs hold onto during the radiograph. The zoo team also constructed fake medical equipment--including a faux radiograph machine--to help desensitize the animals. By the time the real thing was around, they wouldn't think twice about it!
The next step was to use positive reinforcement (raisins were the lemurs' treat of choice) to show the animals the correct way to stand on the T-stand. When they assume the correct position--they get a treat! McMahan said that all of the animals caught on quickly, especially since these social animals were being trained one-by-one.
By the time they moved the training indoors, the animals had mastered the basic training. There were a few additional distractions in this new location, but this is when the lemurs' social capacity helped a lot. McMcahan let the less confident lemurs watch the leaders do their indoor training, so when the time for the vet visit actually came, everyone knew how to stand in perfect positon for their radiograph.
Being able to do this scan helps zookeepers keep a closer eye on animals' health, so it's definitely worth the hours of training it takes to teach them how to pose for a radiograph. Plus--it's so much fun to see!
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