I wonder what sort of evolutionary pressure this is putting on that particular population. Being able to read and respond to human gestures and expressions would surely be an advantage here. This may actually be the sort of thing which allowed dogs and cats to take up life as human companions way back when.
Amazing. 50 years ago, I visited Tsavo national park in Kenya with my parents, and we noted two behaviours among the baboons which look as if they might have led to something like this. Firstly, if they spotted a parked car, they would descend mob handed and grab anything they could reach - you ate your picnic with the windows closed or something else ate it.
Secondly, they had a sophisticated program for crossing roads, where the troop would gather in a tree in sight of the road, then a couple of big males would walk out onto the road and face down the traffic. Once it stopped, the rest of the troop marched smartly but unhurriedly across and the traffic cop males followed when they were all over.
Add these two together, and you get something a lot like that video.
One time I watched as a big male chased the driver out of a car and took her seat. The passenger cowered, head covered, as the baboon opened a bag of cookies they had in the front seat. The driver, unfortunately, had not set the brake and the car was in neutral, so its started rolling back towards the ocean.
(The spot where this happened in just down the road from the location shown in the video at 0:48)
What was really funny was that we were parked at this spot because we were watching not the baboons, but a great white shark at the base of the cliff hunting for food (probably penguins).
Just before the car plunged off the cliff, the driver got back in and hit the brakes. The passenger never had a clue as to how close to a spectacular death she came.
I wonder what sort of evolutionary pressure this is putting on that particular population. Being able to read and respond to human gestures and expressions would surely be an advantage here. This may actually be the sort of thing which allowed dogs and cats to take up life as human companions way back when.
Amazing. 50 years ago, I visited Tsavo national park in Kenya with my parents, and we noted two behaviours among the baboons which look as if they might have led to something like this. Firstly, if they spotted a parked car, they would descend mob handed and grab anything they could reach - you ate your picnic with the windows closed or something else ate it.
Secondly, they had a sophisticated program for crossing roads, where the troop would gather in a tree in sight of the road, then a couple of big males would walk out onto the road and face down the traffic. Once it stopped, the rest of the troop marched smartly but unhurriedly across and the traffic cop males followed when they were all over.
Add these two together, and you get something a lot like that video.
I know these baboons personally ...
One time I watched as a big male chased the driver out of a car and took her seat. The passenger cowered, head covered, as the baboon opened a bag of cookies they had in the front seat. The driver, unfortunately, had not set the brake and the car was in neutral, so its started rolling back towards the ocean.
(The spot where this happened in just down the road from the location shown in the video at 0:48)
What was really funny was that we were parked at this spot because we were watching not the baboons, but a great white shark at the base of the cliff hunting for food (probably penguins).
Just before the car plunged off the cliff, the driver got back in and hit the brakes. The passenger never had a clue as to how close to a spectacular death she came.
The baboon got the whole bag of cookies.
This is such an strange thing. Everyone needs to take care and properly lock their cars and even their bicycle.