ABSTRACT

The importance of social housing of captive nonhuman primates (NHPs) to their psychological well-being has been well established. Cynomolgus macaques naturally live in multimale, multifemale troops that are organized around matrilineal hierarchies. Males tend to stay in their natal group until fully mature and then quickly join a new group. They are not solitary creatures and seek out social contact. This chapter focuses on pairing strategies documented in past literature and implemented in the evolution of a large social housing program at an import quarantine facility, including the methodologies implemented in choosing, introducing, and monitoring new sets of pairs of different age classes. Choosing the animals suitable for pair housing may involve evaluating age class, sex, weight, study design/intention, rearing and behavioral history, temperament, and viral status. The benefits of pair housing generally outweigh the potential risks.