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A Family Affair
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Alternate Title: Letting it All Hang Out!
(An American expression that means: Relaxing, doing exactly what you want to do without worrying about normal social restraints)
Hamadryas Baboon
Papio hamadryas
DESCRIPTION:
Length (without tail) 24 to 30 inches. Males weigh up to 40 lbs and are twice the weight of females. Males have massive features and a well-developed silver shaggy cape or mane. They have enormous canines, usually used in threat displays. Females and young are brown without mane. Infants are black. Tail arched gently backwards. Face is reddish-pink with a very long muzzle in the same line as the brain case. Ischial callosities are highly developed and bright red. Females exhibit pronounced monthly genital swelling.
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE AND HABITAT:
Inhabits semi-arid plains and rocky hill country in Ethiopia and Somalia in Africa, and Saudi Arabia and Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula. They are found from sea level to 2600 meters. They spend the night on rocky cliffs, sometimes foraging miles during the day but returning to the cliffs to sleep.
DIET:
Food consists of practically anything edible, but is chiefly vegetarian supplemented with protein-rich insects, hares and other small animals.In their dry, sandy environment they learn where to find small pools and where to dig for water. In parts of Arabia, they are becoming increasingly dependent on raiding crops and garbage dumps.
LIFE CYCLE/SOCIAL STRUCTURE:
Hamadryas baboons are socially and structurally distinct from other species of baboon. Males are related to each other and females move between groups. They sleep on rocky cliffs in aggregations that may number as many as 750. They travel and forage in bands of 50 to 100 individuals. In turn these bands are composed of the basic group of a single adult male with one to four females together with their offspring. The adult male keeps his harem together by strong disciplinary measures which include biting his females on the nape of the neck. Males kidnap young females who then bond to them. A female threatened by her male will run towards not away from him. When a pair forms, rival males respect a possessor's right to his female. This species breeds throughout the year, but the peak seasons are May-June and November-December. The gestation period is 170-173 days; one young is usual, rarely two. Females reach sexual maturity in five years, males in seven. Hamadryas baboons are preyed upon by leopards, jackals, hyenas, cheetahs and lions, and infants are sometimes taken by eagles. Life span 30 to 40 years.
SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS:
Hamadryas flexible social structure is adapted to two special local conditions:the lack of safe sleeping places and the difficulty of finding food in the tree-less semi-desert in which they live.
INTERPRETIVE INFORMATION::
The Hamadryas was the sacred baboon of the ancient Egyptians, often pictured on temples and monoliths as the attendant or representative of Thoth, the god of letters and scribe of the gods. Baboons were mummified, entombed and associated with sun-worship. This is the only non-human primate found in Arabia. Also known as the sacred or“mantled” or Arabian baboon. These animals are very social and are stressed by isolation. A direct stare is a threat. To threaten in return, they will raise their eyebrows, showing their white eyelid and partially open their mouth, displaying formidable canines. Intensifying the threat, they may yawn,raise their hair, slap hands and feet on the ground, grind their teeth and scream. Fear is shown by a “grin” with no eyelid threat. They have a number of calls; alarm is given by a dog-like bark.
This photo was taken at the Safari Park in GuangZhou.
Source |
oscarromulus, eqshannon, rcrick, Janice, loot, iris, marhowie has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes. |
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Manyee,
What a group. Loved your notes.
Very well presented.
Mario with greetings from Canada.
I love it! Super fantastic image...and so true as well..GREAT eye and good camera gear..you have a heart for this I can see well!
bob
hello manyee,
this is a nice moment captured, i liked the pov and the composition,,
tfs & regards
pankaj
- rcrick
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 648 W: 42 N: 1198]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-s-g.gif)
(3860) - [2008-10-05 0:14]
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Hi Manyee,
Excellent capture, stunning detail, just love it, t.f.s
Cheers Rick :)
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- Janice
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3464 W: 145 N: 5943]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(17792) - [2008-10-05 2:05]
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No shyness here in this happy family, Manyee.
Your pic makes me smile, and also makes me so pleased I'm human!! Poor mama! I can't say I like their life-style (reading your notes here).
Nice capture of the family doing their chores like this
TFS
Janice
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- gannu
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 996 W: 4 N: 2570]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif)
(11874) - [2008-10-05 9:17]
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Hello Manyee, Good shot and a good view. Brilliant shot. ganesh
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- loot
(9407)
- [2008-10-05 23:14]
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Hi ManYee
Mmmm, so what's one supposed to say about this exposure? Ok, he's got lovely eyes (chuckle). The title has it all.
A good capture of this family interaction. Loved the notes too, very informative. I bet the little Emperor had many questions to ask after seeing this. Or maybe he is still a little young, but I am sure in another year or two, when he sees this photo, he will ask those questions. So, you better start thinking of an answer to have it ready when you need it…
Well done MF and TFS.
Regards
Loot
PS. By the way (or as you perhaps already know), we will be leaving early tomorrow morning for our holiday. Of course we are going to the Kruger Park…where else? Take care and see you in 2½ weeks.
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- iris
(2478)
- [2008-10-06 22:17]
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Hi Manyee,
I havent come across much of baboon photographs and this one you depict here is very interesting.A scene right out of a family time but exhibitive enough to add informative knowledge to the viewer.
Very fine image captured with orginality.The image is sharp and showing excellent featured of the male from the front and a very interesting 'pronounced monthly genital swelling' of the female.
Thanks so much for sharing.
Cheers
Wonderful "family" interaction seen ManYee,
I think I would've used the alternate title ;-)
Well done!
Howard
Have a feeling that you might find that these are actually Hamadryas Baboons (Papio hamadryas) and not Long Tailed Macaques.