CAPTIVE SQUIRREL MONKEY DEMOGRAPHICS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR AGING
RESEARCH
Lawrence Williams
Department of Comparative Medicine,
University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, 36688.
The development of a stable supply of squirrel monkeys and methods to
optimize reproduction in captivity are important issues in aging
research. These animals, which are important models for a number of
aging related problems, were once plentiful and available at modest
cost. This is no longer the case. The Squirrel Monkey Breeding and
Research Resource (SMBRR) was established, in part to fulfill that
need. Since 1980 the SMBRR has been collecting life history data on a
self-sustaining, captive population of Bolivian squirrel monkeys
(Saimiri boliviensis boliviensis), using a relational database to track
mortality and reproductive outcomes. Using these data we have generated
demographic statistics, including age specific survivorship, mortality,
and fertility over a 20-year period for a set of animals with known
birth dates. We have constructed a Forecast Model that uses these
demographic statistics to project the age\sex structure of a population
into the future. This type of information will become vitally important
in managing squirrel monkey populations to ensure the availability of
useful animals into the future. Supported by NIH grant P40-001254.
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