Papio Anubis Research Articles

Pelvic Floor Muscle Anatomy and its Contribution to Penile Erection in Olive Baboons.

Despite the number of studies on the contribution of pelvic floor muscles (PFM) to the penile erection process, their significance is still underestimated. The goal of this study was to investigate the role of PFM in the erection process in non-human primates. First, we performed an anatomical study of the penile structures in 12 baboon cadavers. Next, we created chronic electrophysiological models of normal erectile function in 25 olive baboons. We implanted electrodes on the cavernous nerves to control penile blood filling and placed other electrodes on the pudendal nerve to stimulate the ischiocavernosus muscles (ICM) contractions after sufficient blood filling, thus simulating both vascular and muscular phases of penile erection. We controlled the intracavernous pressure (ICP) during nerve stimulations and further performed a mathematical analysis of the collected data. We described the main pro-erectile muscle anatomy and its relationship with penile structures in monkeys. During neurostimulation studies, we showed the key role of ICM in achieving full penile rigidity with suprasystolic ICP up to 120-300 mm Hg. We also developed a math model for calculating the pro-erectile muscle's contraction force with high accuracy. In this study, we demonstrated the crucial role of PFM in the penile erection process using the monkey model, supporting the previous studies' data. We consider these results essential for a better, more complex understanding of the penile erection process and the participating structures in each stage. This is essential for further improving and designing novel erectile dysfunction diagnostics and treatment techniques.

Age- and size-related changes in hind limb muscles in two baboon species (Papio anubis and P. papio).

Body size has an impact on all biological functions and analyzing how body size impacts functional traits such as locomotion is critical. Body size does not only vary across species but also during ontogeny. Indeed, juvenile animals are often at a competitive disadvantage due to their smaller absolute size. Consequently, understanding size- and age-related changes in the locomotor system is critical for our understanding of adult phenotypes. Here, we address this question by exploring growth of the hind limb muscles in two species of closely related baboons that differ in their ecology, the olive baboon, Papio Anubis, the Guinea baboon, and Papio papio. To do so, we dissected 40 P. anubis and 10 P. papio and measured the mass and physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA) of the hind limb muscles. Our results showed no sexual differences in size- or age-related growth patterns, but did show differences between species. Whereas the scaling of muscle mass and PCSA was largely isometric in P. anubis, allometric scaling was more common in P. papio. Despite these differences between species, the knee extensors and external rotators at the knee scaled with positive allometry in both species highlighting their important role during adult locomotion. Although life-history data for P. papio are scarce, we suggest that differences between species may be associated with differences in adult body size and age of locomotor independence between species.

Longitudinal Baboon (Papio anubis) Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), and Correlations with Monthly Sedation Rate and Within-Group Sedation Order.

Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a simple marker of stress and inflammation, but there is limited research regarding NLR in nonhuman primates (NHPs), with studies showing associations with longevity, certain medical conditions, and stressful circumstances. Here, we examined baboon NLR longitudinally, and as a function of health parameters. We also examined whether NLR was affected by sedation rate, as well as the order of sedation within a group, given that sedation events during clinical and research practices can induce stress in NHPs. While older adult and geriatric baboon NLR did not differ longitudinally, juvenile and young adult NLR tended to increase, primarily driven by increases in females. Additionally, baboons sedated later within a group showed significantly higher NLRs than those sedated earlier in the process. However, baboons with higher sedation rates per month showed lower NLRs. These data indicate that NLR may be dysregulated in different ways as a function of different types of stress, with sedation order (i.e., acute stress) causing pathological increases in NLR, and sedation rate over time (i.e., chronic stress) causing decreases. Importantly, we propose that NLR, a routinely obtained veterinary measure, has potential utility as a welfare indicator of stress resulting from clinical and research practices, as well as a measure that can inform behavioral management practices and interventions.

Oxytocin decreases alcohol self-administration in male baboons

The neurohormone oxytocin (OT) has been proposed as a treatment for alcohol and nicotine use disorders. The aim of the present study was to examine whether intravenous (IV) OT decreases alcohol oral self-administration and consumption in nonhuman primates under a 6-h alcohol access procedure as well as alcohol and nicotine (IV) self-administration under 6-h concurrent access conditions. The subjects were five male baboons (Papio anubis) that self-administered oral alcohol (4% w/v) during 6-h sessions under a fixed ratio 3 (FR3) schedule per drink. Baseline levels of alcohol self-administration were established and then OT treatment was initiated. A single dose of OT (20, 40, 80, 120 IU, IV) or its vehicle (saline) was administered before and again in the middle of the 6-h drinking session for 5 consecutive days (total oxytocin dose of 40, 80, 160, 240 IU/day). After each 5-day treatment, baseline levels of alcohol self-administration were reestablished before the next 5-day OT treatment. In addition, the effect of OT on concurrent alcohol and IV nicotine self-administration was explored in 3 of the baboons where alcohol and nicotine were concurrently available during the 6-hr session each under an FR3 schedule for each drug. Establishment of baseline self-administration and 5-day OT treatments were completed as in the alcohol only study. There was a significant overall reduction in alcohol consumption with OT compared to placebo. On post-hoc analysis, after correcting for multiple comparisons, the 40 and 80 IU doses of OT significantly reduced alcohol consumption compared with vehicle, and consumption did not vary significantly within each 5-day treatment period. OT, qualitatively, also reduced the coadministration of both alcohol and nicotine in each baboon for at least one of the OT doses administered. These results underscore the therapeutic potential of oxytocin as a treatment of alcohol use disorder and possibly, co-use of nicotine.

Variation in Craniodental Pathologies Among Cercopithecoid Primates.

Pathologies of the skull and teeth are well documented for many human populations, but there are fewer studies of other primates. We contrast lesion prevalence and patterning among cercopithecoid primates and map variation onto socioecological variables. We compare craniodental lesions in six species: Nasalis larvatus (n = 54), Colobus polykomos (n = 64), Cercopithecus mitis (n = 65), Macaca fascicularis (n = 109), Theropithecus gelada (n = 13), and Papio anubis (n = 76). One of us (C.A.K.) evaluated each adult skull for multiple lesion types using standard criteria. We also tested for a relationship between lesion prevalence and cranial suture fusion (age proxy). We used nonparametric tests for sex and species differences as well as pathology co-occurrence in SPSS. Socioecological data come from previous studies. Sex differences in lesion prevalence were only detected in P. anubis. Within taxa, some lesion types co-occurred. In Macaca, the presence of caries was associated with several other lesion types. Pulp cavity exposure co-occurred with TMJ osteoarthritis in multiple taxa. Among taxa, male P. anubis had higher lesion prevalences, particularly related to the anterior dentition and facial trauma. Because we did not detect a relationship between suture fusion and lesion prevalence, we propose that craniodental lesions may also be influenced by socioecological variables such as group composition and ratio of fruit to leaves in the diet. Our findings suggest that pain from pulp cavity exposure and related dental infections may alter chewing biomechanics and contribute to onset of TMJ osteoarthritis in nonhuman primates, as seen in humans. Further, we suggest that higher lesion prevalence in male baboons is likely related to male-male competition. Skeletal lesion analysis provides useful insight into primate socioecology, particularly for rare or difficult-to-observe phenomena, and provides additional biological context for our own species.

Nursery- vs. Mother-Reared Baboons: Reproductive Success and Health Parameters.

There is a plethora of data demonstrating the deleterious consequences of nursery rearing in nonhuman primates (NHPs). However, baboon studies report varying consequences of nursery rearing, from no differences in reproduction and sociality to moderate differences in social cognition and abnormal behavior. We compared health and reproductive parameters in a large sample (N= 231) of mother-reared (MR) and nursery-reared (NR) captive olive baboons housed at the Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, Texas. MR baboons had higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios and heart rates than NR baboons. Rearing was not a significant predictor of body condition score or body weight (p > 0.20), and MR and NR individuals did not differ in the level of wounding observed (p > 0.70). The proportion of successful births across NR and MR females was also not significantly different (p > 0.70), nor were rates of maternal neglect and infant death. These data suggest minimal differences in health and reproductive parameters across rearing statuses in baboons housed at this facility. In conjunction with previous research that also seems to show minimal differences as a function of rearing in baboons, but directly contrast with data in other NHP species, these data suggest that baboons may be more robust against deleterious effects of abnormal rearing conditions than other NHP species.

Beyond the here and now: hunter-gatherer socio-spatial complexity and the evolution of language.

Human evolutionary ecology stands to benefit by integrating theory and methods developed in movement ecology, and in turn, to make contributions to the broader field of movement ecology by leveraging our species' distinct attributes. In this paper, we review data and evolutionary models suggesting that major changes in socio-spatial behaviour accompanied the evolution of language. To illustrate and explore these issues, we present a comparison of GPS measures of the socio-spatial behaviour of Hadza hunter-gatherers of northern Tanzania to those of olive baboons (Papio anubis), a comparatively small-brained primate that is also savanna-adapted. While standard spatial metrics show modest differences, measures of spatial diversity, landscape exploration and spatiotemporal displacement between individuals differ markedly. Groups of Hadza foragers rapidly accumulate a vast, diverse knowledge pool about places and things over the horizon, contrasting with the baboon's narrower and more homogeneous pool of ecological information. The larger and more complex socio-spatial world illustrated by the Hadza is one where heightened cognitive abilities for spatial and episodic memory, navigation, perspective taking and communication about things beyond the here and now all have clear value.This article is part of the theme issue 'The spatial-social interface: a theoretical and empirical integration'.

A radioligand for in vitro autoradiography of CSF1R in post-mortem CNS tissues

BackgroundReactive microglia and recruited peripheral macrophages contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s dementia (AD). Monocytes, macrophages and microglia all express the marker colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R). 4-Cyano-N-(4-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)-2-(4-methylpiperidin-1-yl)phenyl)-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxamide (1) is a high-affinity antagonist for CSF1R. We report the radiosynthesis of both [3H]1 and [11C]1. The PET imaging properties of [11C]1 in mice and baboon were investigated. [3H]1 was studied in Bmax measurement in post-mortem autoradiography in the frontal cortex, inferior parietal cortex and hippocampus from donors diagnosed with AD and age-matched controls. In vitro binding affinity of 1 was measured commercially. Nor-methyl-1 precursor was radiolabeled with [11C]iodomethane or [3H]iodomethane to produce [11C]1 and [3H]1, respectively. Ex vivo brain biodistribution of [11C]1 was compared in normal mice versus lipopolysaccharide-administered (LPS) murine model of neuroinflammation. Dynamic PET imaging was performed in a healthy male Papio anubis baboon. Post-mortem autoradiography with [3H]1 was performed in frozen sections using a standard saturation binding technique.ResultsCompound 1 exhibits a high in vitro CSF1R binding affinity (0.59 nM). [11C]1 was synthesized with high yield. [3H]1 was synthesized similarly (commercially). Biodistribution of [11C]1 in healthy mice demonstrated moderate brain uptake. In LPS-treated mice the brain uptake of [11C]1 was ~ 50% specific for CSF1R. PET/CT [11C]1 study in baboon revealed low brain uptake (0.36 SUV) of [11C]1. Autoradiography with [3H]1 gave significantly elevated Bmax values in AD frontal cortex versus control (47.78 ± 26.80 fmol/mg vs. 12.80 ± 5.30 fmol/mg, respectively, P = 0.023) and elevated, but not significantly different binding in AD hippocampus grey matter and inferior parietal cortex (IPC) white matter.ConclusionsCompound 1 exhibits a high in vitro CSF1R binding affinity. [11C]1 specifically labels CSF1R in the mouse neuroinflammation, but lacks the ability to efficiently cross the blood–brain barrier in baboon PET. [3H]1 specifically labels CSF1R in post-mortem human brain. The binding of [3H]1 is significantly higher in the post-mortem frontal cortex of AD versus control subjects.

Effect of seasonal variation on feeding and food preference of olive baboons (Papio anubis) in a protected Guinean savannah of West Africa

Abstract This study investigates the effects of seasonal changes in vegetation productivity on olive baboon feeding behavior in a protected Guinea savannah (Kainji Lake National Park). Over two consecutive years (2017 and 2018), observations were conducted both during the wet and dry seasons using a scan sampling method. Results revealed that olive baboons consumed 34 plant species belonging to 20 families, with 28 species in the wet season and 12 in the dry season. A total of 922 feeding events were recorded in the wet season and 621 in the dry season, indicating significant seasonal variation. Fruits were the preferred food item, especially in the dry season, followed by animal matter, seeds, leaves, and subterranean food. Interestingly, baboons also consumed tree bark regardless of season. In addition, their consumption of fruits (in both seasons) and seeds (in the dry season) highlights their ecological role in seed dispersal and plant regeneration within the park. To sustain baboon (and all non-human primates) conservation efforts within the park, it’s important to maintain a high diversity and abundance of native fruit trees throughout the year. This study highlights the importance of understanding how seasonal changes in vegetation affect olive baboon feeding behavior for effective park management and biodiversity conservation.

Bridging Species Divides: Affiliative Interactions between Theropithecus gelada and Papio anubis in an Unprotected Area in Ethiopia

Bridging Species Divides: Affiliative Interactions between Theropithecus gelada and Papio anubis in an Unprotected Area in Ethiopia

Comparison of Terminal Elbow Extension between Humans and Baboons (Papio anubis).

It is assumed that hyperextension of the elbow joint beyond 0° in humans is due to local ligament and other soft tissue laxity. The common extant old-world olive baboon (Papio anubis), with a quadrupedal gait, commonly has a mild elbow joint flexion contracture. This study compares anatomic and functional roles of the olecranon-coronoid notch angle of the proximal ulna and the anterior direction of its opening on terminal elbow extension in humans and baboons. Active terminal elbow extension was measured in 211 elbows of skeletally mature humans using the neutral zero method. Passive elbow extension and radiographs were performed on 60 extremities of 30 anesthetized baboons. The mean olecranon-coronoid notch angle for humans and baboons was 22.2 ± 6.0° and 11.3 ± 3.2°, respectively (P < 0.001). Mixed effect regression analysis showed that the magnitude of the angle was a significant predictor of terminal elbow extension (P < 0.001) when accounting for species. Also, the causal mediation analysis showed that 18% of the difference in terminal elbow extension between species could be attributed to the olecranon-coronoid notch angle (P < 0.001). Anatomic dissection of 16 baboon arms showed that sectioning of all the anterior soft tissue structures increased mean terminal elbow extension from -18.2 ± 5.9° to -7.1 ± 6.0° and that further elbow extension was blocked primarily by the intact humeroulnar joint. The size of the notch angle and the positioning of its anterior proximal opening played a significant role in deciding terminal elbow extension in both species.

Medium and large-sized mammals in human-dominated landscape of the former Dhidhessa wildlife sanctuary, Western Ethiopia

Abstract Assessment of medium- and large-sized mammals’ species diversity, abundance, distribution, and habitat association is necessary to promote their conservation measures. The study was conducted in the former Dhidhessa wildlife sanctuary (FDWS), to assess the medium- and large-sized mammals’ composition, distribution, and diversity. Transect lines were used to collect the data. A total of 1,146 ± 91 individuals belonging to 25 species, seven orders, and 14 families were recorded. Among these, 607 ± 186.5 (52.97%) were recorded during the wet season, whereas 539 ± 144.5 (47.03%) during the dry season. The order Carnivora was the most diverse one, followed by Artiodactyla and Primates, respectively, while Rodentia, Hyracoidea, Tubulidentata, and Lagomorpha were the least diverse orders. Olive baboon (Papio anubis) was the most abundant species (19.2%), followed by Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious) (17.63%) and Vervet monkey (Chlorocebus aethiops) (13.18%). Species diversity was higher in the savanna-wooded than in the riverine forest during both the wet (H’ = 2.72, Fisher’s alpha = 6.33) and dry (H’= 2.79, Fisher’s alpha = 6.26) seasons. Species evenness was higher in the savanna-wooded habitat than in the riverine forest habitat during both the wet (J’ = 0.87 and J’ = 0.77, respectively) and dry (J’ = 0.9 and J’ = 0.80, respectively) seasons. The highest similarity in species composition was between the wet and dry seasons in the riverine forest habitat (SI = 85.58%). The lowest similarity was recorded between the dry and wet seasons of the riverine forest and the wet season of the savanna wooded habitat (SI = 45.46% and SI = 46.49%, respectively). The study suggests that mammals are at risk of anthropogenic factors in the area. So, an urgent conservation measure that involves the participation of the local community has paramount significance for the sustainable conservation of mammals in the former Dhidhessa wildlife sanctuary.

Peptides and primate personality: Central and peripheral oxytocin and vasopressin levels and social behavior in two baboon species (Papio hamadryas and Papio anubis)

The neurohormones oxytocin (OT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) are involved in social behaviors and psychiatric conditions. However, more research on nonhuman primates with complex social behaviors is needed. We studied two closely-related primate species with divergent social and mating systems; hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas, n=38 individuals) and anubis baboons (Papio anubis, n=46). We measured OT in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF, n=75), plasma (n=81) and urine (n=77), and AVP in CSF (n=45), and we collected over 250 hours of focal behavioral observations. Using Bayesian multivariate models, we found no clear species difference in hormone levels; the strongest support was for hamadryas having higher CSF OT levels than anubis (posterior probability [PP] for females = 0.75, males = 0.84). Looking at nine specific behaviors, OT was associated with affiliative behaviors (approach, proximity, grooming, PP ∼ 0.85 – 1.00), albeit inconsistently across sources of measurement (CSF, plasma, and urine, which were uncorrelated with each other). Most behaviors had low repeatability (R ∼ 0 – 0.2), i.e. they did not exhibit stable between-individual differences (or “personality”), and different behaviors did not neatly coalesce into higher-order factors (or “behavioral syndromes”), which cautions against the use of aggregate behavioral measures and highlights the need to establish stable behavioral profiles when testing associations with baseline hormone levels. In sum, we found some associations between peptides and social behavior, but also many null results, OT levels from different sources were uncorrelated, and our behavioral measures did not indicate clear individual differences in sociability.

Human-wild mammal interaction and the local people’s attitudes towards the mammals in Gara Bilita (Belete Gera) forest, South-West Ethiopia

ABSTRACT The study investigated human-wild mammal interactions and the attitudes of the local people in southwest Ethiopia. Systematic random sampling techniques were used to select villages and respondents. Data was gathered through a questionnaire (open- and closed-ended questions). A total of 130 households from three krebeles were chosen (Sebeka Debiye = 27, Atiro Gefere = 54, and Sombo Deru = 49). Crop damage was the main impact from wild animals. The major mammals responsible for the crop damage were Papio anubis, Cercopithecus aethiops, Sus scrofa, Phacochoerus africanus, and Hystrix cristata, respectively. The identified predators were Crocuta crocuta, Panthera pardus, Leptailurus serval, Panthera leo, and Papio anubis. Habitat disturbance, agricultural expansion, and deforestation were the suspected causes of the damage. Local farmers used guards, scarecrows, chasing, and smoking to prevent crop raiders. The implementation of community-based conservation strategies and practical management plans for the coexistence of wild mammals and people is required.

Livestock predation, crop raiding, and community attitudes towards sustainable wildlife conservation in and around Mankira Forest, Southwest Ethiopia

Crop raiding and livestock predation negatively impact the views of the local community towards wildlife conservation. Farmers across the African continent, especially those in rural regions, incur financial losses as a result of crop raiding and livestock depredation. The sustainability of the forest relies heavily on comprehending the essential connection between a harmonious park-people relationship and the coexistence of humans and wildlife. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the predation of livestock, the raiding of crops, and the attitudes of the community towards wildlife in the Mankira Forest located in southwest Ethiopia. This particular area has been lacking in scientific research, making it crucial to conduct this assessment. The data were collected between November 2021 and September 2022 via a structured questionnaire. This study used a sample of 241 randomly selected respondents from the four villages, and responses were compared using chi-square tests. Pearson correlation was also used to test the relationship between the distance of farmland and the extent of crop raiding. The majority of the respondents (95%) reported the presence of crop raiding and livestock predation in the area. These losses were caused by the Papio anubis (39%), the Chlorocebus aethiops (24.1%), the Hystrix cristata (15.3%), the Canis aures (58.3%), and the Crocutacrocuta (29.5%). Maize stood out as the crop type most susceptible to crop raiders. Most of the respondents (56.7%) had a negative attitude towards wildlife conservation. There was a significant difference among age groups of respondents related to their attitude towards wildlife conservation (p < 0.05). The study highlights the need to address several gaps in understanding and managing human-wildlife conflict through research on predation, raiding, and community attitudes. Therefore, to fulfill the dual goals of community support and conservation of wildlife, rigorous management and planning are needed.

How to treat mixed behavior segments in supervised machine learning of behavioural modes from inertial measurement data

The application of supervised machine learning methods to identify behavioural modes from inertial measurements of bio-loggers has become a standard tool in behavioural ecology. Several design choices can affect the accuracy of identifying the behavioural modes. One such choice is the inclusion or exclusion of segments consisting of more than a single behaviour (mixed segments) in the machine learning model training data. Currently, the common practice is to ignore such segments during model training. In this paper we tested the hypothesis that including mixed segments in model training will improve accuracy, as the model would perform better in identifying them in the test data. We test this hypothesis using a series of data simulations on four datasets of accelerometer data coupled with behaviour observations, obtained from four study species (Damaraland mole-rats, meerkats, olive baboons, polar bears). Results show that when a substantial proportion of the test data are mixed behaviour segments (above ~ 10%), including mixed segments in machine learning model training improves the accuracy of classification. These results were consistent across the four study species, and robust to changes in segment length, sample size, and degree of mixture within the mixed segments. However, we also find that in some cases (particularly in baboons) models trained with mixed segments show reduced accuracy in classifying test data containing only single behaviour (pure) segments, compared to models trained without mixed segments. Based on these results, we recommend that when the classification model is expected to deal with a substantial proportion of mixed behaviour segments (> 10%), it is beneficial to include them in model training, otherwise, it is unnecessary but also not harmful. The exception is when there is a basis to assume that the training data contains a higher rate of mixed segments than the actual (unobserved) data to be classified—such a situation may occur particularly when training data are collected in captivity and used to classify data from the wild. In this case, excess inclusion of mixed segments in training data should probably be avoided.

Planum temporale asymmetry in newborn monkeys predicts the future development of gestural communication’s handedness

The planum temporale (PT), a key language area, is specialized in the left hemisphere in prelinguistic infants and considered as a marker of the pre-wired language-ready brain. However, studies have reported a similar structural PT left-asymmetry not only in various adult non-human primates, but also in newborn baboons. Its shared functional links with language are not fully understood. Here we demonstrate using previously obtained MRI data that early detection of PT left-asymmetry among 27 newborn baboons (Papio anubis, age range of 4 days to 2 months) predicts the future development of right-hand preference for communicative gestures but not for non-communicative actions. Specifically, only newborns with a larger left-than-right PT were more likely to develop a right-handed communication once juvenile, a contralateral brain-gesture link which is maintained in a group of 70 mature baboons. This finding suggests that early PT asymmetry may be a common inherited prewiring of the primate brain for the ontogeny of ancient lateralised properties shared between monkey gesture and human language.

The Use of Guanfacine to Mediate Anxiety-related Reactivity and Reduce Associated Agonistic Behavior in Two Pigtail Macaques (Macaca nemestrina).

Guanfacine, an α ₂adrenoceptor agonist, has been used to successfully treat self-injurious behavior in nonhuman primates, including macaques (Macaca mulatta) and baboons (Papio anubis). It does so by facilitating a correction to the dopaminergic system that mediates a reduction in impulsivity and reactivity. Given this, we assessed the potential efficacy of guanfacine to treat socially directed agonistic behavior in primates with an apparent reactive behavioral phenotype. We present data from 2 pigtail macaques (Macaca nemestrina): an intact adult male housed in a breeding group, and an experimentally naive adult female living in a research setting with her social partner. Baseline behavioral assessments suggested that both macaques showed extreme responses to external stressors that triggered them to aggress social partners often leading to wounding that required veterinary intervention. Both animals were tracked during the course of 1 y. Once treated regularly with guanfacine, both animals showed significant reduction in their agonistic behavior and the rate at which they wounded other animals. Indeed, in the year since the female has been treated with guanfacine she has never wounded her cagemate. By collecting regular and detailed behavioral observations on the male in the breeding colony, we were able to identify triggers for his aggression and to track the behavioral changes evidenced after guanfacine treatment. These data supported our hypothesis that his aggression reflected extreme reactivity to external stressors, rather than general anxiety. Importantly, we saw only a limited and short-lived reduction in the male's affiliative behavioral rates, and thus guanfacine had no sedative effect, but did successfully reduce his reactivity and resultant agonism and wounding.

Human Wildlife Conflicts: The Case of the Olive Baboon (Papio anubis) in the Mbam and Djerem National Park and the Implications for Conservation Attention

In Cameroon, studies on adverse conflicts between humans and wildlife have focused mainly on elephants and great apes. The lack of information on monkey conflicts motivated the present study in the periphery of the Mbam Djerem National Park (MDNP) where human-olive baboon conflicts exist (Papio anubis) due to the extension of agricultural land around the park. This study was carried out in two phases: questionnaire survey administered to the population bordering the protected area to determine the crop consumed by olive baboons in the fields and field visits to measure the total area of the field and the devastated areas using a GPS to assess losses per farmer and to determine the control strategies to fight crop raiding. From July 2021 to August 2022, we administered a questionnaire to 171 people, 74 of whom were farmers around the MDNP to examine the human-olive baboon conflicts. Results obtained indicated that human-olive baboons conflicts exist, we have: crop raiding, hunting of olive baboons, bullying, disturbances caused by olive baboons, and domestic animals predation by baboons. Although ecotourism and leisure were cited as other interactions. The crop raided by olive baboons is the origin of the conflicts with Human. Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is the crop most frequently raided by olive baboons in the dry season, followed by maize (Zea mays) and groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) in the rainy season. Despite the use of control strategies such as field patrols, the installation of scarecrows, the use of traps and guns, the guarding of straw huts, and the guarding of dogs. 83% of the respondents lost approximately 25% of their crop annually due to olive baboons, and 5% of the respondents lost 25 to 50% of their crop annually, 4% of the respondents lost approximately 75% of their crop and 8% lost almost nothing. Economic losses were estimated on average at 150.647 ± 21.695 FCFA with a maximum loss of 1.058.000 FCFA [1.765 USD] and a minimum loss of 16.000 FCFA [about 27 USD]. The surface areas damaged annually by olive baboons ranged from 0.2 ha to 2.3 ha. These results showed that the crop raided by olive baboons created a conflict between humans and nature that had a negative impact on the conservation of this monkey and the survival of the local population in this region. To mitigate these conflicts, we suggest sensitizing local population on the use of the gun in the inspection of crop fields and strengthening of day and night field inspection during the crop maturity period.

Intertroop kidnapping of a young infant in wild olive baboons (Papio anubis)

On June 16, 2023, a juvenile female olive baboon (Papio anubis) in our study troop at the Uaso Ngiro Baboon Project in Kenya grabbed a ~3-week-old infant from another troop and released him near a high-ranking adult female in the study troop. This female, who was already pregnant, took the infant and treated him as her own, allowing him nipple access. The infant survived for over a month, which suggests the female produced some milk, at least initially, but he eventually died on July 24. Here, we describe the behaviours of all individuals involved in this rare event, and present possible proximate mechanisms and ultimate explanations for the behaviours observed. Rare events can reveal a species’ behavioural and physiological flexibility, and this one sheds light on the potential for infant stacking in baboons and the use of infants as a commodity within the social market of the troop.