大象传媒

The olive baboon is one of very few monkeys to make a success of savannah life. For a small animal on the plains there鈥檚 safety in numbers, but living in a large troop requires organization and to avoid constant squabbling the baboons have developed a sophisticated social order. Regular grooming is not just for reasons of hygiene; the constant contact is important for social bonding. It鈥檚 a good way to make friends. Males are tough enough to look after themselves and come and go as they choose, but mothers and babies must stick together. The babies are very important for establishing rank and order, so a low ranking mother must sit and watch her youngster being treated roughly by a more dominant female if she wants to stay within the safety of the troop. Her low rank means she has no choice but to tolerate her oppressor.