Sociality, Health, and Welfare in Nonhuman Primates

Herein we provide a review of the importance of social relationships on health and welfare of nonhuman primates. Social relationships are a key component of life for most primates. Sociality, however, comes with costs and benefits to health and welfare. When examining these benefits and costs we can look at two main types of primate relationships: dominance relationships/social status and affiliative relationships/social bonds. Over millions of years of evolution, many primate species experienced selection for larger brains (relative to body size) and living in cohesive social groups, which has resulted in a social life that is fundamentally linked to their welfare. These two evolutionary characteristics lead to complexity in both the dominance relationships and social bonds that develop in many primate societies. Individual dominance rank may be associated with differential risk of injury, exposure to stress, and other welfare-related outcomes because dominance relationships govern competitive interactions over access to resources and mating opportunities. Similarly, the affiliative social bonds between primates can also impact welfare because such interactions offer a way to cope with social stress yet increase risk of disease transmission via contact. Zoos, sanctuaries, research facilities, and other institutions that house nonhuman primates in captivity must take into consideration such social relationships in their management strategies and procedures to promote good welfare. Here we discuss these social relationships in relation to individual health, fitness, and well-being.