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A Stereo Music System as Environmental Enrichment for Captive Chimpanzees

Abstract

Music has been shown to have beneficial effects on humans but little is known about the effects of music on nonhuman primates in biomedical research settings. The authors monitored the effects of music on the behavior of captive chimpanzees and found that music had significant positive effects, including a reduction in agitated and aggressive behaviors.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the PFA care and research staff, Timothy Russell, Arizona State University Symphony Director, members of the Arizona State University Orchestra, and Stephanie Meredith, our classical music soloist. This study was supported in part by the University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Research Center, subcontract U42 RR 15090-02, within the National Institutes of Health Biomedical Research Program.

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Correspondence to Jo Fritz.

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Howell, S., Schwandt, M., Fritz, J. et al. A Stereo Music System as Environmental Enrichment for Captive Chimpanzees. Lab Anim 32, 31–36 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/laban1103-31

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