Impact of female contraception for population management on behavior and social interactions in a captive troop of Guinea baboons (Papio papio)
As part of a population management strategy for a troop of Guinea baboons (Papio papio) at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, adult females were given a Suprelorin contraceptive implant. There was no information on the effect of contraception on behavior in this species, so behavioral data were collected before and after implant placement to determine any impact […]
Effect of solar eclipse on the behavior of a captive group of hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas)
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.10077.abs To date there have been no systematic studies on the effects of a solar eclipse on the behavior of nonhuman primates. However, some descriptive studies have reported an increase in inactivity levels and congregation of individuals during a solar eclipse. The aim of the present work was to carry out a systematic study […]
Application of Piecewise Hierarchical Linear Growth Modeling to the Study of Continuity in Behavioral Development of Baboons (Papio hamadryas)
In behavioral science, developmental discontinuities are thought to arise when the association between an outcome measure and the underlying process changes over time. Sudden changes in behavior across time are often taken to indicate that a reorganization in the outcome-process relationship may have occurred. The authors proposed in this article the use of piecewise hierarchical […]
Dominance tests and individual differences
Data from an ongoing research project show that young baboons are generally less fearful of humans than rhesus monkeys of the same age. Individual conspecific Ss may also show considerable variation in their responses to man. Food- and water-competition tests designed to determine social rank may, therefore, be influenced by such individual differences. Since individual […]
Testosterone positively associated with both male mating effort and paternal behavior in savanna baboons (Papio cynocephalus)
Abstract Testosterone (T) is often positively associated with male sexual behavior and negatively associated with paternal care. These associations have primarily been demonstrated in species where investment in paternal care begins well after mating activity is complete, when offspring are hatched or born. Different patterns may emerge in studies of species where investment in mating […]
Age-dependant behavioral strategies in a visual search task in baboons (Papio papio) and their relation to inhibitory control
A computerized visual search task was presented to 18 guinea baboons (Papio papio) ranging from 2.7 to 14.3 years of age. The task, inspired from Hick’s (1952) task, required detection of a target among a variable number of distractors equidistant to a start button. The reaction times (RTs) and movement times both increased with the […]
Puberty and dispersal in a wild primate population
This article is part of a Special Issue “Puberty and Adolescence”. The onset of reproduction is preceded by a host of organismal adjustments and transformations, involving morphological, physiological, and behavioral changes. In highly social mammals, including humans and most nonhuman primates, the timing and nature of maturational processes are affected by the animal’s social milieu […]
The Effect of a Feeding Schedule Change and the Provision of Forage Material on Hair Eating in a Group of Captive Baboons (Papio hamadryas sp.)
Hair eating in nonhuman primates is thought to result from a frustrated appetitive drive produced by an inappropriate diet. To investigate whether hair eating could be reduced through changes in diet, a 2-part study was conducted with a group of baboons (Papio hamadryas sp.). The 1st part involved changing to a twice-daily feeding routine, thus […]
Hormonal correlates of natal dispersal and rank attainment in wild male baboons
In many mammals, maturational milestones such as dispersal and the attainment of adult dominance rank mark stages in the onset of reproductive activity and depend on a coordinated set of hormonal and socio-behavioral changes. Studies that focus on the link between hormones and maturational milestones are uncommon in wild mammals because of the challenges of […]