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Environmental enrichment is an effective tool for zoos and similar institutions to improve the general welfare of their resident animals through mental stimulation of one or more senses. Auditory enrichment appeals to the auditory centers of the brain and commonly takes the form of music or recordings taken in a natural setting. However, previous studies observing the effect of auditory enrichment on captive animals have primarily been done on small sample sizes and in single population systems. Here, I aimed at exploring the behavioural responses of captive ring-tailed lemurs (Catta lemur) to diverse forms of auditory enrichment by assessing their preferences between ecologically relevant sounds from their native habitat in Madagascar and classical music. I show that across three zoos, 17 ring-tailed lemurs consistently preferred ecologically relevant recordings taken from their natural environment in Madagascar over popular classical music. Across six, one-hour playback sessions for each treatment, ring-tailed lemurs spent more time closer to the source of ecologically relevant playback during the initial 30 minutes, before returning to baseline levels of distance in the latter 30-minute period. My results add ring-tailed lemurs to the current list of animals that have been found to be affected by auditory enrichment and shows that these animals have a consistent preference for ecologically relevant auditory enrichment across multiple zoos. Zoos and similar institutions may use the conclusions drawn in this study to make an informed decision about introducing their own ring-tailed lemurs to ecologically relevant auditory enrichment.

Environmental enrichment is an effective tool for zoos and similar institutions to improve the general welfare of their resident animals through mental stimulation of one or more senses. Auditory enrichment appeals to the auditory centers of the brain and commonly takes the form of music or recordings taken in a natural setting. However, previous studies observing the effect of auditory enrichment on captive animals have primarily been done on small sample sizes and in single population systems. Here, I aimed at exploring the behavioural responses of captive ring-tailed lemurs (Catta lemur) to diverse forms of auditory enrichment by assessing their preferences between ecologically relevant sounds from their native habitat in Madagascar and classical music. I show that across three zoos, 17 ring-tailed lemurs consistently preferred ecologically relevant recordings taken from their natural environment in Madagascar over popular classical music. Across six, one-hour playback sessions for each treatment, ring-tailed lemurs spent more time closer to the source of ecologically relevant playback during the initial 30 minutes, before returning to baseline levels of distance in the latter 30-minute period. My results add ring-tailed lemurs to the current list of animals that have been found to be affected by auditory enrichment and shows that these animals have a consistent preference for ecologically relevant auditory enrichment across multiple zoos. Zoos and similar institutions may use the conclusions drawn in this study to make an informed decision about introducing their own ring-tailed lemurs to ecologically relevant auditory enrichment.

Long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) are considered an endangered species according to the IUCN Red List, with populations following a decreasing trend and being severely fragmented. The population status of long-tailed macaques has changed drastically during the last fifteen years, from being Least Concern in 2008, to Endangered in 2022. This rapid change has generated intense concern in the research community, leading many researchers to claim that this species shares many similarities with the Passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) case. The threats faced by long-tailed macaques are classified as both direct and indirect. Trade for the medical industry (laboratory animals) and pet trade, with numerous animals captured and being “abducted” from their natural habitat, can be considered as major threats. Furthermore, habitat loss and fragmentation could consequently lead to fragmented populations and even threaten them more intensively with extinction. Nevertheless, the most important threat of this species relies on the lack of knowledge related to the distribution, abundance and ecology of it in all the countries where it can be found. Because of this deficiency, institutes and governmental agencies have established laws that are focused mainly on the conflicts between humans and long-tailed macaques. This one-sided perspective of problem solving is more possible to create inappropriate management plans that would not take into consideration the status and the conservation of this species. Perceiving the lack of data concerning the distribution of long-tailed macaques in Southeast Asia as a trigger, we decided to conduct research that will be useful in order to point out possible hotspots areas that should be surveyed further in the near future. Using the Maxent software we conducted a species distribution modeling (SMD) to detect the most suitable habitats for the long-tailed macaques in the northern part of Southeast Asia (Vietn

Long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) are considered an endangered species according to the IUCN Red List, with populations following a decreasing trend and being severely fragmented. The population status of long-tailed macaques has changed drastically during the last fifteen years, from being Least Concern in 2008, to Endangered in 2022. This rapid change has generated intense concern in the research community, leading many researchers to claim that this species shares many similarities with the Passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) case. The threats faced by long-tailed macaques are classified as both direct and indirect. Trade for the medical industry (laboratory animals) and pet trade, with numerous animals captured and being “abducted” from their natural habitat, can be considered as major threats. Furthermore, habitat loss and fragmentation could consequently lead to fragmented populations and even threaten them more intensively with extinction. Nevertheless, the most important threat of this species relies on the lack of knowledge related to the distribution, abundance and ecology of it in all the countries where it can be found. Because of this deficiency, institutes and governmental agencies have established laws that are focused mainly on the conflicts between humans and long-tailed macaques. This one-sided perspective of problem solving is more possible to create inappropriate management plans that would not take into consideration the status and the conservation of this species. Perceiving the lack of data concerning the distribution of long-tailed macaques in Southeast Asia as a trigger, we decided to conduct research that will be useful in order to point out possible hotspots areas that should be surveyed further in the near future. Using the Maxent software we conducted a species distribution modeling (SMD) to detect the most suitable habitats for the long-tailed macaques in the northern part of Southeast Asia (Vietn