Rabbits are social animals and live well in groups, especially if they are raised together as youngsters. The facility that houses these rabbits receives animals that were raised in pairs, so they are already socialized upon arrival. Even though these rabbits are provided with several bowls of food, they seem…

These rabbits enjoy human interaction. When technicians come into the room, the rabbits move to the front of the pen to receive nose scratches and treats like yogurt balls and dried persimmons. The technicians also enjoy watching these rabbits demonstrate behaviors found in the wild, such as foraging, hopping around,…

Zebrafish larvae are raised from eggs to eventually become breeding adult fish that provide embryos for research studies. The transparent bodies of these young fish allow for non-invasive assessment of organ and tissue changes, something that is not possible with mammals. Their transparency is very helpful when conducting safety and…

Groot is a male Hamadryas baboon at the Oregon National Primate Research Center.  His fingernails were becoming too long resulting in accidental injury to the delicate swellings of the females in his group. In order to prevent these injuries, and avoid unnecessary sedation for nail care, positive reinforcement techniques were…

Here a husbandry technician is providing food enrichment to rhesus macaques in their corral. This kind of positive interaction between monkeys and their caretakers can improve well-being for the animals (or, for the animals and the humans!).