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Quite an intelligent animal. An animal that belongs to a
highly complex social structure - one that's very similar
to ours. In order to study human behavior, scientists and
psychologists are interested in the study of non-human primates
such as the baboons, because they feel that they can be more
objective that way.
When we study ourselves, it is as if we're looking at a mirror
image of ourselves - and it's hard to stay objective. (You
don't always see yourself as you really are when you look
in a mirror.) When we study baboons we can be more observant
and free of pre-conceived ideas!
The way that baboons raise their offspring and interact in
social settings is very much like ours. They're fun to observe
at a waterhole in one of the remote areas of Africa, for instance,
because they do look and act so similar to us. At certain
times of day, a troop of baboons will slowly, carefully move
towards the waterhole. (Baboons need water fairly frequently.)
You'll see that the young baboons are all gathered somewhat
in the center of the troop, riding the backs of their parents,
or playing under their feet. (A social group of baboons, a
family group, is called a troop.) The young are herded into
the center so they're protected, of course. I say, "of
course" because that's what we do, right? When there
are a bunch of predators around, you protect your kids.
And you can bet predators are around. Watching, waiting for
an opportunity to snatch up something as darling - and delicious
- as a baby baboon. Leopards, for one. They generally prey
on baboons at nighttime. Can't take the chance during the
day, because large male baboons - especially male chacma baboons
of southern Africa - are quite capable of attacking and killing
leopards. They have very sharp canine teeth, you see. Teeth
that are upwards of two-inches long. No, you don't see leopards
lurking around in daylight. They prey on baboons when it's
dark. That can hide and ambush much better at night than they
can in the daytime.
Hang around a troop of baboons for awhile and you'll see
how tranquil, how well- ordered their lifestyle is.
Now, generally speaking, it's the males that keep order.
Baboons have a very tight social hierarchy made up of dominant
and subdominant elements. When you watch the troop move along,
you usually find the dominant males in the center (near the
females and young) and it is the unproven males who have to
keep a watchful eye out on the periphery and, if necessary,
meet up with and stave off predators. Interesting, isn't it
- how we humans do the same thing in wartime? Put our untested
- our young men and women on the front lines - put them at
risk first?
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