Coordination during group departures and progressions in the tolerant multi-level society of wild Guinea baboons (Papio papio)

In the socially tolerant multi-level society of Guinea baboons (Papio papio) in Senegal's Niokolo-Koba National Park, adult males and females share nearly equal influence in initiating group departures, unlike other multi-level societies where males dominate decision-making. Analysis of 146 group departures and 100 progressions from 131 baboons revealed that while bachelor males led during movement, primary males and females were distributed uniformly across the group. This pattern contrasts with hamadryas baboons but aligns more closely with uni-level societies, suggesting social organization alone does not dictate coordination dynamics. The study used detailed behavioral observations to examine individual success in initiating departures and positional preferences during progressions.

Montanari, D., O’Hearn, W. J., Hambuckers, J., Fischer, J., & Zinner, D. (2021). Coordination during group departures and progressions in the tolerant multi-level society of wild Guinea baboons (Papio papio). Scientific Reports, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-01356-6