Page 57 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #12
P. 57
WILDNEWS
MEET THE SCIENTIST
MeganPetersdorf
PhD candidate, New York University, USA
Baboons are infamously Megan says fieldwork is
aggressive, but not all the best part of being
a primatologist. Below:
of the Papio species the kinda baboon is
exhibit this behaviour. found in Angola, Zambia
and the Congo.
Megan Petersdorf studies
a baboon that uses
friendliness as a tactic
to get ahead in life.
riendships between
male and female
baboons are widespread
among the six baboon
species, but in the
Fkinda baboon these
friendships are male-driven and
last for a long time.
Megan Petersdorf, a primatology
PhD candidate from New York
University, has spent the past 10 S Kinda baboons appear The mating system of other
years studying these large primates to have more in common baboon species differs because
across Africa. Her current research it is influenced by an alpha male
is focused on a species that shows with modern humans. T position that males compete
a gentler side – the aptly named for. There is also more sexual
kinda baboon, which she studies dimorphism (males are larger than
in Zambia at the Kasanka Baboon females and have longer canines).
project (KBP). investment in physical fighting – According to Petersdorf, kinda
“In all of my fieldwork, I have and has noticed more investment baboons appear to have more in
never seen a male kinda baboon in sperm competition (exhibited common with modern humans
show aggression towards a female,” by larger testes size). than other baboon species, such as
says Petersdorf. “This is in stark “If being the alpha male does unique male-female relationships.
comparison to what you see not help you achieve mating Petersdorf says, “Comprehending
in other baboons.” success, then males may not how evolution has led to these
Unlike other baboon species, compete for this position, and differences may help us to
male kinda baboons rarely fight use other tactics,” she says. understand how similar conditions
with the opposite sex. “Instead, Long-term data from KBP played a role in the human lineage.”
they appear to gain reproductive also suggests a difference To study mating systems among
opportunities by being nice to in male dominance rank baboons, Petersdorf spends long
females,” she explains. acquisition: “When a periods of time observing and
Main: Jordan Sweeting; kinda baboons: Megan Petersdorf males maintain good relationships over the alpha position. wilderness. “Someone once told me
new male enters the
Interestingly, this friendliness
documenting their behaviour
is sustained: “In kinda baboons,
troop, he does not fight
while living in a tent in the African
Instead, he joins the
I would never make it in fieldwork
with females throughout the year,
dominance
not just when they want to mate.”
because I was too feminine,” she
Petersdorf is finding out
hierarchy at
says. “Yet here I am.” Niki Rust
how such male behaviour has
the bottom
influenced their mating system.
and rises
FIND OUT MORE Read about
She has observed that kinda
in rank over
Megan's paper, The reproductive
baboons have smaller degrees of
sexual dimorphism – meaning less
baboon, at: meganpetersdorf.com
December 2018 time.” ecology of the little-known kinda 57
BBC Wildlife
