PRIMATES AS ANIMAL MODELS

One of the endemic non-human primates in Indonesia is a long-tailed macaque which belongs to the group of old world monkeys. At present, long-tailed macaques in Indonesia have been classified into several different subspecies, for example: Macaca fascicularis fascicularis (Sumatra Island), M. f. mordax (Java Island), M. f. submordax (Island of Bali), M. f. sublimiatus (Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores and Sumba), and M. f. limiatus (Timor Island). Abundance of cynomolgus macaque in some area can be a pest that damages farmers' crops. On the other hand, the existence of this monkey can be used as a complement in a tourist destination. There are many macaque tourist destinations developed in various regions in Indonesia. Bali for example, there are at least 4 monkey tourism objects that have been managed professionally.

In addition to the advantages and disadvantages mentioned above, long-tailed macaque can be used as animal models in research for both physiological research and drug research.Long-tailed macaque can be used as a model of human obesity. Long-tailed monkeys have a similarity pattern of obesity with humans as indicated by the accumulation of fat around the stomach. The condition of obesity in long-tailed monkeys is often found in monkeys that live in tourist destination in Bali. These monkeys show signs of obesity with BMI (body mass index) to exceed 60 kg / m2 both in males and females. This BMI is much higher than the normal BMI of 18.5-24.9 kg / m2. Phenotypically, obesity can be seen, among others, from BMI determined by body weight and sitting height, and fat deposits in the abdominal area which are indicated by thick skin folds. In obese monkeys, fat deposits in the abdomen can be seen from the skin folds that hang when the monkey is standing or walking. This fat deposits can also be seen clearly when the monkey is sitting. In this position, the monkey's stomach looks bloated as a result of the fat deposits. Incidence of obesity in long-tailed monkeys in Bali has never been found in juvenile and sub-adults. On the other hand, obesity in humans can occur both in infants, children, adolescents and adults. Furthermore, more than one hundred candidate genes related to obesity in humans were explained, and dozens of them showed a single gene mutation accompanied by an obesity phenotype.

Recently, along with the corona virus diseases (Covid) 19 outbreak, several researchers have stated that primates can be infected with Covid-19 in the laboratory, but there is no reports of Covid-19 in primates in nature. Thus, scientifically, it can be believed that research on Covid-19 can be done using primates as experimental animals for Covid-19 research in the laboratory. The researchers used rhesus monkeys for the Covid-19 vaccine test for example. This test is a process that must be carried out before the product can be applied for humans.

Various primates have high genetic similarities with humans. Therefore, this type of animal can be used as experimental animals for research, the end of which is for the human need. Apart from the uses of primates for many researches, on the other hand we must also pay attention to animal welfare. Many groups are involved as animal welfare activists. These groups do not certainly agree with animal utilization for research that are in some cases very painful and even torturous. What a dilemma.

.