Images from the Field: Baboons

In this video we see the savanna baboons of Africa in various regions of their natural habitat, but with an emphasis on woodlands and forested regions since most other baboon films focus on the open savanna. The video emphasizes various roles filled by animals in a troop with particular attention paid to the range of behaviors seen in males. These include consorting, sentry, protection, baby-tending, positive affiliations with females, control and leading the troop. Various common behaviors such as feeding, grooming, locomoting, resting and playing are also portrayed in an attempt to set the roles in a context of group life. The females and their young are revealed to be a focus of attention for the group and many episodes of complex social behaviors are recorded in long sequences to allow the student to practice observation techniques.