Socio-ecological factors correlate with levels of stereotypic behavior in zoo-housed primates

• Hair-pulling was expressed by 75% of the species.
• Pacing was expressed by 50% of the species.
• Hair-pulling levels were positively correlated with group size.
• Pacing levels were positively correlated with day journey lengths.

Stereotypic behavior often indicates poor welfare. It may develop when the animal's ability to carry out appropriate behavioral responses is limited, despite a high motivation to express them. Behavioral motivations vary across species. Consequently, under similar captive conditions, the sustained inability of animals to express certain behaviors is likely to affect some species more than others. We used a phylogenetic comparative approach to evaluate the socio-ecological factors affecting the manifestation of stereotypic behavior in 24 species of zoo-housed primates. We examined the relationship between two stereotypic behaviors: hair-pulling and pacing, and the species’ natural socio-ecological factors and captivity conditions. The degree of stereotypic behaviors was unaffected by phylogenetic relatedness between species. Stereotypic hair-pulling behavior levels were positively correlated with natural group size. Stereotypic pacing levels were positively correlated with the animals’ natural day journey length. These findings suggest large-group and wide-ranging primate species are more prone to suffer in captivity. Our findings facilitate the detection of species that are more susceptible to behaving stereotypically in captivity. We suggest that providing appropriate social stimuli, and increasing the complexity of the captive environment rather than enlarging it, are both attainable and expected to improve the animals’ welfare.