Guinea Baboon Research
Baboons (Papio spp.) constitute an important model in the study of primate social evolution as they show considerable variation in many aspects of their social behavior. While most taxa have been well studied, less was known about Guinea baboons (P. papio). Previous observations indicated that they differ from other baboon taxa, for example by exhibiting high rates of male-male affiliation. Comparative analyses of their social and communicative behavior, ecology, and population genetic structure is expected to reveal insights into the selective forces shaping primate social evolution.
Field site
In 2007, we initiated a long term study on wild Guinea baboons. The study community ranges near the field station “Centre de Recherche de Primatology (CRP) Simenti” located in the Niokolo Koba National Park in Senegal. Currently, several subgroups including more than 180 individuals are under study. We also study the local Green monkeys.
Selected Projects
Social organization
- Guinea baboons live in a multi-level system with parties that form gangs (Patzelt et al. 2011)
- Males are highly tolerant within and between parties (Patzelt et al. 2014, PNAS)
- Population genetic analyses suggest female biased dispersal (Kopp et al. 2015, AJP)
Female social relationships
- Females associate with specific males over variable amounts of time (Goffe et al. 2016, BES)
- Males share meat with associated females (Goffe & Fischer 2016, PB)
- Female-female relationships are driven by the association with the male, while kinship plays a weak role (Goffe, unpublished data)
Male aggressiveness
- Male Guinea baboons are less aggressive than male chacma baboons (Kalbitzer et al. 2015 Hormones Behaviour)
- Guinea and chacma baboon males reveal differences in Glucocorticoid and Testosterone levels (Kalbitzer et al. 2015 Hormones Behaviour)
- Different baboon populations reveal differences in polymorphisms in the serotonergic system (Kalbitzer et al. 2016 BMC Evol Biol)
Ongoing projects
- Social knowledge in Guinea baboon males (Faraut PhD project, supported by DFG Research Training Group)
- Group coordination in Guinea baboons (Montanari PhD project, supported by DFG Research Training Group)
Methods
- Behavioral observations
- GPS-collars to collect ranging data
- Acoustic recordings
- Playback experiments
- Measurement of steroid hormones
- Kinship analyses
- Investigation of functional polymorphisms
Collaborations
- Direction des Parcs Nationaux, Senegal
- Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal
- Endocrinology Laboratory (DPZ)
- Primate Genetics Laboratory (DPZ)