Monkeys that live in stable conditions with no natural enemies are more likely to gain weight, become lazy and depressed, as there is no unpredictability in their lives.

The University of Birmingham has developed a new computer technology that allows zoos to design an environment that replicates chimps' natural habitat, giving them a chance to experience life in the wild.

“We have designed this tool to give zoos the ability to compare the behaviour of their animals to the latest research on wild chimps, and to use that to create physically and cognitively stimulating enclosures that mimic, as closely as possible, the mechanics of forest habitats,” Dr Susannah Thorpe, from the university’s School of Biosciences and lead investigator on the study, said.

The project also aims to help captive chimps build muscles and bones like their wild counterparts.

The nets and straps are designed to give the chimps cognitive challenges. Photo: Twycross Zoo

Zoo employees gather information on wild chimpanzees’ movements, social interactions and cognition. The information is then uploaded onto a web-based design tool, which compares the information about the behaviour to that of wild chimps.

Twycross Zoo in the UK has added a network of interconnect straps and nets in the chimps’ enclosure to replicate a forest canopy. The nets and straps contain bedding material and pockets that contain their food.

The arrangement of the nets will change, just like in the jungle, to offer the chimps cognitive challenges.

“The chimps’ habitat in the wild is mechanically very challenging and different every day, so zoos need to be able to recreate a similar environment in captivity,” Thorpe said.

“We have designed this tool to give zoos the ability to compare the behaviour of their animals to the latest research on wild chimps, and to use that to create physically and cognitively stimulating enclosures that mimic, as closely as possible, the mechanics of forest habitat,” she continued.

The researchers hope the software could be used to help to return chimps to tropical forests and savannahs.

Twycross Zoo director of life sciences Charlotte Macdonald said the zoo was working to improve the welfare of the animals in their care. She said she had noted some positive changes in the chimps’ behaviour already.

“Having implemented the recommendations based on this research into the enclosure design, we have already seen a positive change in our chimpanzees’ behaviour and locomotion to resemble wild chimps,” she said.