Conflicts between humans and baboons (Papio ursinus) have become a significant management challenge on Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University’s (NMMUs) George Campus, which is located in peri-urban George in the Garden Route, of the Western Cape of South Africa. Current management policy, although required to be ‘scientifically’ based, largely relies on studies done outside the Garden Route. This study addresses the question of how the management of human-baboon relations could be improved on the campus. A case study was undertaken which aimed at addressing the cohabitation of baboons and humans on the NMMU campus, specifically human-baboon resource selection and interaction. The research methodology and the related analytical tools were primarily quantitative but were supplemented by some qualitative data drawn from interviews. Data collected was used to determine landscape features acting as Keystone Resource Areas (KRAs) for both humans and baboons on the campus. Relationships between the frequency and location of negative interactions, and resident-baboon distribution on the campus were also determined. Two key findings emerged from the research. First, residences, non-residence buildings and waste disposal stations act as KRAs for both humans and baboons. Second, the frequency of negative interaction correlates with the time spent by residents and baboons at residences, where common negative interactions between baboons and humans are known to occur. It is postulated that cohabitation on the NMMU George Campus is causing the habituation of baboons, a loss of fear of humans and association of humans with high energy foods. As a result, present cohabitation contributes to negative human-baboon relations in the George area. To ensure sustainable co-existence between humans and baboons on the George Campus, management should implement zonation and wildlife monitoring to reverse the loss of baboon fear of humans and better limit the availability of human-derived foods. In addition, management should consider giving stakeholders co-management roles to foster and facilitate knowledge and responsibility partnerships, and subsequently correct any misunderstandings related to human-baboon relations on the campus. Recommendations for further research include sampling beyond campus boundaries to compensate for regional variations in baboon behaviour and the biophysical environment.

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Orientador: Mateus José Rodrigues Paranhos da Costa / Resumo: Agressão pós-mistura de lotes e na disputa por recursos entre marrãs e matrizes alojadas em grupos são importantes problemas associados a este sistema. Apesar da ordem de alimentação ser amplamente utilizada como parâmetro para caracterizar a hierarquia social nestes animais, esta medida ainda carece maior fundamentação científica. O objetivo deste trabalho foi o de entender as conexões sociais e a organização social de matrizes e marrãs criadas em sistema de gestação coletiva, de maneira a validar a ordem de alimentação como medida para determinação da hierarquia social. Um total de 113 matrizes e marrãs foram estudadas por quatro ciclos observacionais em um sistema de gestação coletiva equipado com alimentador automatizado. A cada 30 dias um grupo de 12 animais era substituído por novas marrãs. Um ranking de ordem de alimentação (FO) foi construído para cada ciclo observacional de acordo com o horário em que cada indivíduo se alimentou. Então, as primeiras quatro marrãs do ranking (FG1), quatro intermediárias (FG 2) e as quatro últimas (FG 3), foram selecionadas para testes diádicos, totalizando 12 marrãs selecionadas por ciclo. Nos últimos três dias de cada ciclo, comportamentos agonísticos e outros comportamentos foram observados. A frequência média de cada comportamento à entrada do comedouro foi calculada, separando-se em "Entrou" e "Não Entrou" e dividindo-se os comportamentos em três categorias: "Contato Unilateral", "Sem Contato" e "Contato Bilateral". Foi utilizado ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Post-mixing aggression and aggression over resources between group housed sows and gilts are major issues associated with such systems. Although feeding order is a widely used parameter to characterize social hierarchy of these animals, it still lacks scientific background. Thus, the objective of this research was to understand the social connections and the dynamics involving the social organization of sows and gilts in a group housing gestation system in order to validate feeding order as a reliable and sufficient parameter for determining social hierarchy. A total of 113 sows and gilts (Yorkshire x Landrace) were studied over four observational cycles under a dynamic group housing gestation system equipped with an electronic sow feeder. Every 30 days a group of approximately 12 sows or gilts was replaced. Feeding time of each sow/gilt was collected and a feeding order ranking was built for each cycle. Then, the first four of them in the ranking (feeding group 1), four from the middle (feeding group 2), and the last four (feeding group 3), were selected for dyadic tests, totalizing 12 selected gilts per cycle. Agonistic and other behaviors at the feeder entrance in the last three days of each cycle were analyzed. The average frequency of each behavior at the entrance of the feeder was calculated, separating into successful and unsuccessful entrances and dividing behaviors into three categories: “Unilateral Contact”, “No Contact” and “Bilateral Interaction”. PROC GLIMMIX in ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

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Cigarette smoking is common despite its adverse effects on health, including disruptions to endocrine function. Thyroid hormones may specifically be affected by nicotine exposure through cigarette smoke. The present work begins with a thorough analysis of the literature on thyroid hormones, their contribution to cognition and synaptic plasticity as well as evidence supporting an interaction between nicotine and thyroid signaling. Cigarette smoking/nicotine may disrupt thyroid function in women of reproductive age, heavy smokers, and those prone to thyroid dysfunction due to pre-existing conditions, and these populations would benefit from careful monitoring of their thyroid function. Nicotine also affects cognition and this may drive both the development and maintenance of nicotine addiction. Acute nicotine enhances maladaptive drug-context associations, likely contributing to the development of addiction. The present work evaluates the functional contribution of thyroid receptors (TRs) (ß and α1) to the effect of acute nicotine on hippocampus-dependent memory using a contextual fear conditioning paradigm. It was hypothesized that TRs would be critical for the acute effects of nicotine on contextual fear conditioning. Mice lacking the TRβ and TRα1 gene (KOs) and wildtype littermates (WTs) were administered acute nicotine prior to contextual fear conditioning and results indicated the selective involvement of TRβ in nicotine-enhanced hippocampus-dependent learning. Further examination confirmed select hippocampal TR activation during nicotine enhancement of hippocampus-dependent learning. Withdrawal from chronic nicotine disrupts cognition, leading to continued use and relapse in subjects attempting to quit smoking. Withdrawal from chronic nicotine may induce the development of a hypothyroid condition that could contribute to nicotine withdrawal-related symptoms such as impaired attention and memory. In support, analysis of serum thyroid hormone levels after chronic and withdrawal from chronic nicotine treatment revealed that nicotine withdrawal reduces thyroid hormone levels. Normalizing thyroid hormone levels may therefore represent a novel therapeutic target for ameliorating nicotine withdrawal-associated cognitive deficits. In support of this, supplemental thyroid hormone not only enhanced contextual and cued fear conditioning when administered alone, but also completely abolished nicotine withdrawal-associated deficits in contextual fear conditioning. These results suggest that careful monitoring of thyroid function is warranted, especially in subjects susceptible to the negative effects of nicotine on thyroid hormone levels, and smoking cessation attempts may benefit from successful treatment of thyroid dysfunction. / Psychology

This thesis puts forward a theory for a new basis of the rights and dignities of animals. The first chapter explains how the neurobiological output / input model can be applied to animal behavior, and suggests that animals—from fruit flies to chimpanzees—and humans are most similar in their desire to experiment with the world around them. The remaining chapters explore the practical implications of considering animals through the output / input model, using literature, the author’s personal experience, biological observations, and historical anecdotes. These chapters seek to prove that animals have much more to offer us than milk and meat. / Master of Arts