Dating Baboon Style

Africa baboons form enduring friendships between members of the society group are crucial to the their survival. A troop of baboon consists of groups of female relatives. With the highest ranking female being the oldest. It is round her that the other members gather to groom one another and even sleep.

Although much of the female baboon’s time is spent with the groups they were born and raised in, they occasionally will mix and play with females from other groups often forming close relationships with them.

The entry of a male into this society takes a great deal of work. This is due to the strong bonds that the females form between their relatives and friends make it very hard for a male looking for a mate.

This processes of finding a mate often starts with a male slowly and carefully cultivating friendship with one member of the female group.

It sometimes involves the male sitting close to her and making friendly gestures. Depending on his skills getting close could take weeks to even months of patient persistence. A sure indicator that the male has established a bond with the female is when he is able to groom her.

This bond then serves as a passport to friendships with members of her group and could evn lead to him mating with one or more of them.

Female baboons when pregnant or with young will often form special relations with two or even three adult males. often keeping them close while foraging and huddling together while resting or sleeping during the night. These males are expected to defend the female and her off spring from other members of the troop.

• The African Elephant
• Choosing a mate by the length of his tail
• The Brown Hyena
• African Lion - Africa’s Top Predator
• Ambush of the unwary on the African Savannah