Kuni, a female bonobo at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, gets a practice "shot" with a needle-less syringe. She is trained by her keepers to hold still and accept an injection, to reduce the stress of veterinary treatment. Previously, animals had to be darted with a remote injection dart which was psychologically traumatic for them (and stressful for staff as well!).Today, the positive reinforcement training is accomplished in small desensitizing steps: first by showing the syringe, then by touching the arm with its blunt end, and then by snapping the skin with a rubber band to simulate the sting of the needle.
Only when the bonobo is comfortable that the "ouchie" is bearable and that there is a treat reward, will saline sometimes be injected. The keepers rarely inject the animals as practice, but can give the real injections as needed by keeping the training current with the practice steps.
The bonobos are extremely trusting of their caretakers, and the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens keepers are trained to give injections, such as a tranquilizer that is needed before anesthesia for the annual physical done at the zoo hospital.
Photo by M. Brickner
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