Baboon

All Music Guide:

Exhibiting agile experimentations and building risky conceptions floating in between punk and the most traditional rock roots, Baboon's eclectic creations are ruthless shows of compositional expertise. Although an almost truly punk act, they add up the sound of instruments such as trombone, allowing them to go far beyond that narrowing style frontier. The band was formed in 1991 by Andrew Huffstetler (vocals, trombone), Bart Rogers (bass), Will Johnson (drums), and Mike Rudnicki (guitar, backing vocals). Their first move was the recording of two tapes, Ed Lobster and Sausage, which eventually promoted the group's performances in cities such as Fort Worth and Dallas. In 1992, Johnson left to join Centro-Matic, being replaced by Steven Barnett. Soon after the lineup change, Baboon recorded their first single "Save Me" for Direct Hit Records, months before their opening record for Silver Girl Records; "Tool" was another single. By 1994, the band signed their first contract for the release of their debut album with Grass Records. This was the necessary boost for the intense touring that followed during the rest of the year, taking the band both to the West and East Coast and leading to performances including one at the CMJ Convention. Leaving by the end of 1994, Bart Rogers was replaced by Bryan Schmitz, who left the year after, later replaced by Mark Hughes. Their debut album Face Down in Turpentine finally hit record stores that same year, and represented the best catch of the band's unique sound. Baboon then departed for several nationwide appearances that went on through 1995. One year later The Numb EP came out, which served as an intro for the band's second album, 1997's Secret Robot Control, released on Wind-Up. After several relentless performances throughout the U.S. Baboon recorded their third album, 1999's We Sing and Play. A live album, A Bum Note and a Bead of Sweat, in February of 2001, was their latest release.

Wikipedia:

Baboons are African and Arabian Old World monkeys belonging to the genus Papio, part of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. There are five species, which are some of the largest non-hominoid members of the primate order; only the mandrill and the drill are larger. Previously, the closely related gelada (genus Theropithecus) and the two species (mandrill and drill) of genus Mandrillus were grouped in the same genus, and these Old World monkeys are still often referred to as baboons in everyday speech. They range in size and weight depending on species. The Guinea baboon is 50 cm (20 inches) and weighs only 14 kg (30 lb) while the largest chacma baboon can be 120 cm (47 inches) and weigh 40 kg (90 lb).

Taxonomy and phylogeny

Five species of Papio are commonly recognized, although there is some disagreement about whether they are really full species or subspecies. They are P. ursinus (chacma baboon, found in southern Africa), P. papio (western, red, or Guinea baboon, found in the far western Africa), P. hamadryas (hamadryas baboon, found in the Horn of Africa and south-western Arabia), P. anubis (olive baboon, found in the north-central African savanna) and P. cynocephalus (yellow baboon, found in south-central and eastern Africa). Many authors distinguish P. hamadryas as a full species, but regard all the others as subspecies of P. cynocephalus and refer to them collectively as "savanna baboons". This may not be helpful: it is based on the argument that the hamadryas baboon is behaviorally and physically distinct from other baboon species, and that this reflects a separate evolutionary history. However, recent morphological and genetic studies of papio show the hamadryas baboon to be more closely related to the northern baboon species (the Guinea and olive baboons) than to the southern species (the yellow and chacma baboons).

The traditional 5-form classification probably under-represents the variation within Papio. Some commentators argue that at least two more forms should be recognized, including the tiny Kinda baboon (P. cynocephalus kindae) from Zambia, DR Congo, and Angola, and the gray-footed baboon (P. ursinus griseipes) found in Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and northern South Africa. However, current knowledge of the morphological, genetic, and behavioral diversity within Papio is too poor to make any final, comprehensive judgment on this matter.

There are 5 species of baboons in the genus Papio:

Anatomy and physiology

All baboons have long dog-like muzzles; heavy, powerful jaws with sharp canine teeth; close-set eyes; thick fur except on their muzzle; a short tail; and rough spots on their protruding buttocks, called ischial callosities. These calluses are nerveless, hairless pads of skin that provide for the sitting comfort of the baboon.

In all baboon species there is pronounced sexual dimorphism, usually in size but also sometimes in colour or canine development. Males of the Hamadryas Baboon species also have a large white mane.

Behavior and ecology

Baboons are terrestrial (ground dwelling) and are found in open savannah, open woodland and hills across Africa. Their diet is omnivorous, but mostly herbivorous; yet they eat insects and occasionally prey on fish, shellfish, hares, birds, vervet monkeys, and small antelopes. They are foragers and are active at irregular times throughout the day and night. They can raid human dwellings and in South Africa they have been known to prey on sheep and goats.

Their principal predators are humans, the lion, both the spotted and striped hyena and the leopard. They are however considered a difficult prey for the leopard, which is mostly a threat to young baboons. Large males will often confront them by flashing their eyelids, showing their teeth by yawning, making gestures, and chasing after the intruder/predator.

Baboons in captivity have been known to live up to 45 years, while in the wild their life expectancy is about 30 years.

Baboons are able to acquire orthographic processing skills, which form part of the ability to read.

Social systems

Most baboons live in hierarchical troops. Group sizes vary between 5 to 250 animals (often about 50 or so), depending on specific circumstances, especially species and time of year. The structure within the troop varies considerably between hamadryas baboons and the remaining species, sometimes collectively referred to as savanna baboons. The hamadryas baboon often appear in very large groups composed of many smaller harems (one male with four or so females), to which females from elsewhere in the troop are recruited while they're still too young to breed. Other baboon species have a more promiscuous structure with a strict dominance hierarchy based on the matriline. The hamadryas baboon group will typically include a younger male, but he will not attempt to mate with the females unless the older male is removed.

Baboons can determine from vocal exchanges what the dominance relations are between individuals. When a confrontation occurs between different families or where a lower-ranking baboon takes the offensive, baboons show more interest in the exchange than exchanges between members of the same family or when a higher-ranking baboon takes the offensive. This is because confrontations between different families or rank challenges can have a wider impact on the whole troop than an internal conflict in a family or a baboon reinforcing its dominance.

The collective noun for baboons is commonly troop, although flange is also increasingly used. This unusual term originates from a Not the Nine O'Clock News comedy sketch entitled "Gerald The Intelligent Gorilla" where it was used for comic effect. It is often incorrectly claimed that a group of Baboons is called a congress. This, however, is nothing more than a joke meant to poke fun at the United States Congress.

In the harems of the hamadryas baboons, the males jealously guard their females, to the point of grabbing and biting the females when they wander too far away. Despite this, some males will raid harems for females. In such situations it often comes to aggressive fights by the males. Visual threats are usually accompanied by these aggressive fights. This would include a quick flashing of the eyelids accompanied by a yawn to show off the teeth. Some males succeed in taking a female from another's harem. This is called a "takeover". In many species, infant baboons are taken by the males as hostages during fights.

Mating and birth

Baboon mating behavior varies greatly depending on the social structure of the troop. In the mixed groups of savanna baboons, each male can mate with any female. The mating order among the males depends partially on their social ranking, and fights between males are not unusual. There are however more subtle possibilities; in mixed groups males sometimes try to win the friendship of females. To garner this friendship, they may help groom the female, help care for her young, or supply them with food. The probability is high that those young are their offspring. Some females clearly prefer such friendly males as mates. However, males will also take infants during fights in order to protect themselves from harm.

A female initiates mating by presenting her swollen rump to the male. But "presenting" can also be used as a submissive gesture and is observed in males as well. This submissive gesture has many unspoken meanings amongst the troop. The dominant males often engage in what is known as a false-mount, in which they mount the submissive males. It is a sign of dominance, and happens very commonly to younger males in the troop.

Females typically give birth every other year, usually to a single infant, after a six month gestation. The young baboon weighs approximately one kilogram and has a black epidermis when born. The females tend to be the primary caretaker of the young, although several females will share the duties for all of their offspring.

After about one year, the young animals are weaned. They reach sexual maturity in five to eight years. Baboon males leave their birth group, usually before they reach sexual maturity, whereas females are philopatric and stay in the same group their whole life.

Relationship with humans

In Egyptian mythology, Babi was the deification of the hamadryas baboon and was therefore a sacred animal. It was known as the attendant of Thoth and so is also called the Sacred Baboon.