The animal husbandry with the primate colonies is the central infrastructure facility of the DPZ.
Our primary responsibilities include breeding, providing species-appropriate housing, and ensuring the veterinary care of primates. An experienced team of over 40 animal caretakers, 10 veterinarians, and five animal welfare officers take care of the approximately 1,200 non-human primates in our facility every day.
Primates are a group of highly developed mammals that includes all species of monkeys as well as humans. Due to their close resemblance to humans, monkeys are particularly well-suited as model organisms for studying human diseases and understanding the complexity of the nervous system. With their complex social behaviors, wide distribution, and diverse adaptations to various habitats, they are also excellent subjects for studying ecology, behavior, and evolution.
In addition to non-human primates, we also manage a small colony of rodents at the DPZ.
Currently 4 primate species are kept at the DPZ.
Click on the corresponding picture to find out more about the biology and lifestyle of the individual species
![[Translate to Englisch:] Ein Javaneraffe sitzt im Außengehege am DPZ](/fileadmin/_processed_/9/0/csm_Javaner_Hampe_1_de06326acd.jpg "A lon-tailed macaque at the DPZ")
