Permission Pending from Sierra Safari Zoo
The typical day of a hamadryas baboons is long and livid with several activities. From Kummer’s extensive study in Erer Gota Ethiopia, he was able to describe the daily path of the hamadryas baboons. Kummer noted that the structure of the troop, and the daily march from the sleeping rock to the Savanna remains constant through out the year; however, eating, drinking, and reproduction are often subject to seasonal changes ( Kummer 1968). As noted earlier the hamadryas baboons sleep on vertical sleeping rocks/cliffs during the night, this is different from their the savanna baboons who sleep on trees. In the morning the hamadryas baboons leave the sleeping ledge, they move to open waiting areas on the cliffs where they sun and wait for rest of the groups to wake up and assemble. The time spent in the waiting areas can range from a few minutes to 3 hours; the hamadryas baboons will spend this time grooming within the one-male unit, chasing and copulation adults between adults, and juveniles form play groups( Kummer 1968).
In her study, Linda Leresche notes that play in hamadryas baboons is a process that centers on communication (Leresche 1970).
In the waiting areas, the group gradually prepares to leave for their daily path. The one male unit leaders become more vigilant in patrolling and making sure their one male-unit is intact. The daily path length varies from 3.2 to 11.2 km with an average of 7.5km (Swedell 2002). Kummer describes the initial migration of the troops as an amoeba with pseudopods are sent out and drawn in again until finally one of these grows longer and longer that the rest of the troop follows it (Kummer 1968). The troop then forms a line that proceeds with quick march across the savannah for approximately an hour and a half ; all the aforementioned behaviors are stopped except grooming. After they stopped the quick march, the hamadryas baboons then proceed to search and eat food. They can break up into one, two, or three level of social organization as they search for food. At around midday, the main group of hamadryas baboons starts moving toward any water pool to commence drinking. After drinking, the hamadryas baboons may rest for up to two hours. Grooming, and playing may also occur. As noted in the food and water subsection, during the rainy season the hamadryas baboons may take a midday siesta near the watering hole, but during the rainy season the hamadryas baboons will often have short rest period under bushes. In here study in Filoha, Eritrea, Swedell noted that the average daily paths during the dry season were shorter than those observed during the rainy season( Swedell 2002).
After the afternoon rest, the hamadryas baboons will begin the return march to the sleeping rock. Kummer notes that if an individual party loses contact with the troop, it may sleep at another sleeping rock and eventually join the troop later( Kummer 1968). As dusk nears, the troops starts to quickens the pace and moves back to the sleeping rock. As the hamadryas baboons move to waiting areas, social behaviors such as grooming, chasing, play fighting and copulating occur once more. The one-male unit leader is tries to defend his female from other males during this time period. All the aforementioned social behaviors eventually stop as darkness sets in; the hamadryas baboons then return to their same ledges and sleep.
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This Page was created by Stella Kenyi, stkenyi@davidson.edu, as student website for Biology 323, Animal Behavior, At Davidson College