Note on effects of a daylong feeding enrichment program for Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

For captive chimpanzees, daylong feeding enrichment, offering longer feeding times as comparable to those of their wild counterparts, is expected to alleviate undesirable behavior. This study is designed to determine whether longer feeding opportunities over the course of a day would directly engender longer feeding times. A liquid dispenser was presented for 8 h/day to five chimpanzees. The daily feeding duration was increased to a maximum of 16.1% of the 8-h experimental time. Expanding food availability increased the number of feeding bouts. Attractive-tasting beverages elicited longer feeding bout durations. Results suggested that chimpanzees’ preferences regarding food characteristics as well as food availability were influential factors favoring the prolongation of feeding time.