Smithsonian Voices

From the Smithsonian Museums

Under (Blood) Pressure: Monitoring Heart Rates in Zoo Primates

How do you get an orangutan to sit still for an electrocardiogram? All it takes is a little patience and a lot of ingenuity! The Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s positive reinforcement training program enables primates to voluntarily participate in their own medical care without the need for anesthesia.