Animals
should not require our permission to live on Earth.
Animals
were given the right to to be here ~ long before we arrived.
(Douglas
Williams)
They
tremble in fear...they revel in joy...they recoil from pain.
They
deserve compassion ~ (akin to human-kind.)
(Unknown
author)
In the midst of creating novel writings about Animals, the Baboon is
an 'animal of interest'.
It's enlightening to recognize personality traits between the Baboon
and Human.
On
Culture, Tosin Thomson states: Baboons
who share personality traits, stick together.
Using
a black and white photo (a head and shoulder profile of a Chacma
Baboon atop a rock in Africa's Kruger National Park), Tosin writes:
We
think we are unique ~ and probably we are ~ we're smart, really
smart.
But
what makes us doubly special is: 'Our Ability to Reason.'
In 1698, Edward Tyson, an English anatomist,
dissected a chimpanzee (his
Pygmy) and found its vocal chords were comparable to those of
humans. Tyson couldn't understand why it was ~ that apes with all
the necessary machinery, couldn't speak!
REASON
isn't something that can be bodily found ~ it's a spiritual
essence. Reason,
in some ways
reinforces
the status of humans as the reasoning and speaking creature. Because
of this 'status' humans have developed an arrogant attitude. We feel
'different' from the rest as though our 'branch from the tree of
evolution' has been cut off: it's them
or us!
.
New
research by the University of Cambridge and the Zoological Society of
London, shows that within large 'troops' (male and female) Chacma
Baboons spend more time grooming those with similar characteristics
to themselves.. associating those with similar
age,
dominance, social rank...even those with similar personality types.
This
type of behaviour is known as homophily
or 'love of the same.'
The research team tracked the same 2 'baboon troops'
from
dawn until dusk across Namibia's Tsaobis Nature Park over several
months each year between 2009 and 2014 to monitor 'Social Network
Structures.”
Dr.
Alecia Carter of Department of Zoology says: Chacma
baboon males will often commit intanticide, killing the babes of
rivals. Female baboons try to get around this by being 'promiscuous'
as possible to confuse the paternal identity ~ so males find it
harder to tell if they are killing a rival's offspring ~ or their
own. Dr
Carter added, Baboons
also try to form bonds with particular males...in the hope they will
protect their offspring...and let the babies forage in good places
with them. But it's believed (Carter
said) that
the males tend to be fairly lazy.
And
Boon
tells us: “It's up to the babies to follow the males.”
Baboons who fail to exhibit moral behaviour ~ do not survive.
They wind up as 'meat' for the leopards.
Dr. Carter's Advice: “With strong connections to other humans:
explore
new ideas...increase your knowledge...discover new opportunities!”
“Chief
executives, who themselves, own shares of their own
have no more feeling to the average stockholder company
than they do for baboons in Africa.” (C. T. Boone Pikers)
History
and Hierarchy
Ancient
Egyptians venerated Baboons, regarding them as 'gods. But baboons
are considered primates
that are closely related to us in their stress-inducing-environment.
Robert Sapolsky, believes they are so similar to humans because they
have almost no natural predators.
“Low
hierarchy
individuals suffer the most elevated levels
of physical and psychological stress manifested by high blood
pressure...suppression of immune systems...and high levels of stress
hormones. It's also for baboons to decipher between a real menace
(like a defying rival) and a neutral factor (like one baboon sleeping
in an upper branch)
Ba,when
questioned says, “The healthiest and most sociable are those of us
who from birth, build up social and effective links which are strong
and long-lasting. Our decisions depend upon our genetics.
.
“Hierarchy
is
established by Power,
Size
and sharpness of the Fangs,
Weight, Muscle Mass
and also by Aggressiveness..
and the ability to form Alliances,” also stated Ba.
“And
to know when to stab a companion in the back.”
First
Encounter
Several
years ago, we drove in our family car to African
Lion Safari
in the Flamborough, Cambridge area. We read the signs: Stay
in All Vehicles
and
Keep All Windows Up!
Immediately inside the gates we were bombarded by what appeared to
be 'a whole troop of baboons' with excited and low-pitch
squeals...they were funny...they were crazy...they playfully cavorted
(did these grey creatures) as they peered through the windshield
(looking for hand-outs, I'm sure). One jumped my moon- roof...sitting
like a statue...throughout our slow drive. (Since then, I”ve
concluded: he was no doubt the dominate! In
the cool air, the others kept their bums warm from engine
heat...awaiting the next vehicle for treats.
The African Lion Safari
is a Canadian owned business created in the name of conservation
by the late Colonel G.F. Dailey.
The
park opened its gates to the public on August 22, 1969 with 40 lions
in 3 reserves; today the park houses in excess of 1,000 animals
comprised of over 100 species. Our manner of exhibiting animals is
completely different from the traditional approach; that is the
visitor is caged in the car...and the animals roam in 2 to 20 hectare
(5 to 50-acre) reserves.
The park has been successful in breeding 30 species that are
considered endangered
and
20 species considered threatened.
The
original idea of maintaining self-sustaining populations in decline,
still remains Africa Lion Safari's priority!
The fallen of the Baboon into the river,
'tis the risen joy of the crocodile.
Though the crocodile becomes happy, he conceals his joy
until deploying the necessary deft and strength to capture of the
Baboon.
(Ernest Agyemang Yeboah)
The foregoing assembled by Merle Baird-Kerr...June 30, 2018
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