No, this scene at the University of California, San Francisco, is not part of an experiment on the food and musical preferences of primates. Instead, animal behaviorist Hal Markowitz and Joseph Spinelli, director of animal care at UCSF, are tackling a much tougher question: how to keep lab animals contented.
Few scientists expect a conclusive answer. But the question is profoundly important to researchers who use primates in their research. The reason: under the Animal Welfare Act of 1985, scientists are required to ensure the "psychological well-being" of every primate in their labs. And the U.S. Department of Agriculture, charged with implementing the law, has been working on regulations that may mandate, among other things, larger cages, increased contact with other animals, and "enriched" environments. The new rules, currently being reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget, may cost research institutions more than $100 million in capital expenditures for ...
