Analysis of the cognitive abilities of captive Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii) regarding the use of puzzle feeders

Bachelor of Science ADESEWA ADELUSI, BSc

Master's thesis

Abstract:

This research examined the captive Sumatran orangutans' cognitive ability. The study was conducted at the Indonesian Jungle – Orangutans’ Enclosure at Prague Zoo. The study included three Sumatran orangutans, two females (older and younger) and one male, aged 9-33 years. The purpose of the puzzle feeder was to provide enrichment and measure the orangutans' puzzle-solving abilities. Two cameras were used to observe the orangutans during the trial, which lasted six months. The length of behaviours, preferred handling method, and frequency of success were all recorded. Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Shapiro-Wilk, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were the statistical procedures employed to analyse the data. According to the study's findings, each animal tested exhibited a unique style of exploratory behaviour. Diri was consistently the first animal to explore and manipulate the puzzle feeder, while Mawar was always the last. The animals also displayed differences in latency time to explore the fourth pattern of the puzzle feeder compared to the first pattern, with Diri taking longer to explore the fourth pattern, indicating a sign of diminished interest. The study also found that there may be individual differences in how animals respond to changes in their environment, with Diri and Pagy displaying less explorative behaviour during the fourth pattern than the first one. According to the study, social learning behaviour may not be influenced by the type of puzzle feeder design, and social cues did not impact the animals' performance on the task. The fact that Diri, the most successful animal at extracting rewards, exhibited the highest level of social learning behaviour, however, shows that social learning may have been a key factor in developing new skills.

Keywords

Cognitive abilities, Sumatran orangutans, Puzzle-feeder, Enrichment, Puzzle-solving abilities, Social learning behaviour, Rewards, Tools

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 23. 4. 2023

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: doc. Francisco Ceacero Herrador, Ph.D.
• Reader: Vedrana Šlipogor, externi

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Master programme / specializace:
Wildlife and Livestock Production, Management and Conservation / Wildlife Management and Conservation