In 2019, a fascinating primate project began at Swebeswebe, home to several of South Africa’s primate species, including chacma baboons, vervet monkeys and the lesser bushbaby. What made Swebeswebe so ideal for this study was its ever-changing climate, seasonality and long periods without rain, which can be tough for the animals. The group of baboons living here faces some unique challenges. They have to deal with a lot of predators whilst sleeping together in one shared spot. By studying these primates in such a diverse and demanding environment, researchers hope to gain insights into how these animals adapt to different stresses and how they interact with each other. They want to find out if these conditions might even lead to the development of more complex societies among the baboons. It’s an exciting project that sheds light on the captivating lives of primates and the ways they respond to their surroundings.
The day to day of babooning
Observations made by a field student…
First light hits the bushveld and brings in a new day; the bushbabies have gone back to bed, the birds already singing their choruses, and as for us, it is the start of searching for baboons. With the sky still a hazy purple we make our way down Papio trail towards the baboon cave – at this point we could do the route with our eyes closed we know it so well. When we arrive at the cave, we usually find the troop sitting on top, sunning themselves in the first morning light that has only just reached the height of the mountain. It’s difficult not to be in awe at the site of the cave and the landscape that surrounds it – it’s definitely not a bad place to call your office.
As the baboons move off to start their day of foraging, we follow closely alongside collecting GPS data of their movement throughout the day as well as behavioural scans of individuals in the troop. What makes this project so interesting is that several troops share the same cave sleeping site or are present in the same area, but for the most part we follow a troop of 64 individuals known as BTKT.
We spend the day being guided by the baboons up and down mountains, along riverbeds and through forests, sometimes walking up to 20km a day. On a full day of following the troop they will lead us back to the cave where they catch the last bit of sunlight. Here they spend some time grooming each other and resting after a long day of foraging before they head back up into the mouth of the cave. When you spend this much time with the troop you start to get to know the personalities of each individual and it feels like you are not only a researcher, but on some level, are part of the troop. Around 17:15 we head back up Papio trail towards camp; the birds have quietened, the bushbabies have left their sleeping tree for the night, and for us, a time to relax after a day of following baboons.
