
This is part of the larger Chimpanzee Welfare Index (CWI) protocols, an Index developed at by JGI’s Dr.
Chimpanzee weight for free#
In contrast, chimpanzees who live in facilities that allow for free movement time and outdoor space had lower levels, decreasing their risk for cardiovascular disease even as they continued to age. These low levels are also due in part to the plant-based, natural diet that these sanctuary chimpanzees consume, as well as having ample space that allows them to exercise. Correlations could also be made based on socialization, as sanctuaries such as Tchimpounga intentionally use social integration techniques to ensure that rescued chimpanzees have companionship and communities with others. Research on these laboratory populations of chimpanzees showed that they had levels of fatty acids that increased their risk for cardiovascular disease. Falero at the JGI Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center This data was compared with other studies that focused on chimpanzee heart health. Previously, the only data collected on chimpanzee heart health was from populations that lived in laboratory settings, and thus experienced very different conditions than those who lived in sanctuaries. For example, chimpanzees in laboratory settings have less space to move about, and often consume diets composed of processed foods. This study, performed in conjunction with researchers at the University of Michigan, University of New Mexico, researchers in Uganda, and our own JGI staff at Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center in Congo, evaluated certain lifestyle factors in chimpanzees and their correlation with heart health. Researchers monitored chimpanzees who live in rehabilitation centers, which allow them to roam semi-free range better reflecting conditions like what they would experience living in the wild.įactors such as fatty acid levels, body weight, and body fat were observed in 75 chimpanzees at a rehabilitation center.
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Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and so like many things related to human health, looking to our closest living relatives can provide some important insights. In fact, a recent study which included our own JGI staff in Republic of the Congo, found that chimpanzees in rehabilitation centers had low body weights and lower levels of fatty acids, which decreases their risk for cardiovascular diseases. By analyzing lifestyle and other factors that relate to heart health in sanctuary chimpanzees, we can learn more about how to best care for captive wildlife, and humans alike!
