# Can orangutans give blood?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-orangutans-give-blood/111825>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 1, 2002, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-orangutans-give-blood/111825 "2002-06-01T01:39:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jiHymas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@jiHymas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jiHymas)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2002, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-orangutans-give-blood/111825/1 "2002-06-01T01:39:32Z")

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In the **Scientific American** of June 2002, Maggioncalda & Sapolsky describe their research into arrested development of orangutan males - their adolescent stage is usually a few years, but can last longer than a decade, about half their reproductive lives.

They looked at hormonal levels in the urine of captive orangutans, despite the fact that blood would be the ideal source of information, “for practical and ethical reasons”.

Which brings up the question - can orangutans be trained to donate blood in exchange for treats? I’m imagining some kind of wall with a hole in it…the orangutan sticks his arm into the hole, its arm is immobilized, the keeper takes the blood sample, releases the arm and provides the treat. Certainly the higher primates can be trained to do all sorts of things - Washoe and Ameslan, for instance - so this wouldn’t seem to strain credulity. Or does it?

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**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2002, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-orangutans-give-blood/111825/2 "2002-06-01T02:50:05Z")

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They’re way ahead of ya. 😃  
[http://www.primate.wisc.edu/pin/animcare.html](http://www.primate.wisc.edu/pin/animcare.html)

> [@](#):
>
> : This videotape shows the acclimation techniques employed to reduce stress for corral-living rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) when collecting fecal and blood samples. The monkeys are given food rewards in return for defecation in single holding cages. They are also trained to extend their leg through a modified squeeze cage for unanesthetized bleeding from the saphenous vein. Once the acclimation is completed, the animals are shown to be relaxed during the procedure.
> 
> \< snip \>
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> In 1987, adult orangutans Sam and Katie were diagnosed with diabetes. Diet and oral medication did not control the diabetes so insulin injections were necessary. Use of positive reinforcement - with a variety of foods and soft drinks as rewards - was employed to condition Sam and Katie to voluntarily receive their injections. This program shows the various steps in this conditioning which culminated in the use of verbal commands such as “elbow” and “hold” to get the orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) to assume a position that allowed for the injections.

google, “blood sample orangutan”

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**Author:** ![jiHymas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@jiHymas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jiHymas)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2002, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-orangutans-give-blood/111825/3 "2002-06-01T03:10:10Z")

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Thanks, **Duck Duck Goose**! Great link!