Gelada Baboons. Threats, Diet, Characteristics, Predators

What is a Gelada

The gelada is commonly known as the gelada baboon and the bleeding-heart baboon, however it is not a genuine baboon. These brown and grey primates are Old World monkeys that exhibit certain resemblances to baboons. Males, double the size of females, are comparable to a huge dog and possess vampiric canines, which they frequently exhibit towards one another as a demonstration of dominance or hostility. Both genders possess substantial, voluminous manes, in addition to prominent, hourglass-shaped, hairless areas of skin on their chests. They possess the most opposable index fingers and thumbs of any primate.

Challenges

Geladas are losing the battle for food:
As Ethiopia’s agricultural sector grows, competition for grazing land intensifies between monkeys and animals. Geladas are experiencing habitat loss, being relegated to less fertile mountain slopes. Deforestation and soil erosion are significantly jeopardising their food supply.

People pose a threat:
Humans adversely impact the gelada population by shooting these monkeys when regarded as agricultural nuisances or occasionally capturing them for laboratory purposes. Historical records reveal that their capes were formerly fashioned into fur hats for visitors, a practice that is now prohibited. Furthermore, indigenous peoples utilise their manes in traditional coming-of-age rites.

Solutions

Our solutions to protecting the gelada:

Create income alternatives:
Kabira Safaris & The African Wildlife Foundation is developing new strategies to secure the livelihoods of local populations. The Simien Mountains Cultural Tourism initiative is enhancing infrastructure and lodging in the vicinity of the national park. Augmented revenue from community-managed tourism will diminish reliance on subsistence agriculture.

Help communities with holistic land-use planning.
Kabira Safaris & AWF collaborates with communities to improve livelihoods, food security, and conservation via sustainable, long-term land-use planning. We assist communities in articulating their future objectives and facilitate the zoning of their lands to actualise and sustain their vision over the long run.

Behaviors

Geladas stay grounded.
Geladas are the most terrestrial primates in the world, spending nearly all their time on the ground, with the exception of humans. They are inept at climbing trees and devote 99 percent of their time on the ground, mainly due to their great nutritional specialization as grazers. Specifically adapted for high-altitude living, they utilise narrow ledges on steep, rocky cliffs to evade predators; they also rest on these ledges, clustered together in tiny groups.

They form large, gregarious groups.
The gelada family unit, known as a harem, typically comprises one male, three to six related females, and their offspring. Women dominate society and may opt to replace their male leader with a younger competitor if it aligns with their interests. Numerous harems amalgamate to become battalions or bands, which may consist of 30 to 600 members. These monkeys have one of the most diverse vocal repertoires among primates, making their groups exceedingly raucous.

Female geladas are the caretakers.
Gelada females produce a single offspring biennially. The mother is the exclusive carer of the newborn. Females reach sexual maturity at four to five years, whilst males attain it at five to seven years. The patch of skin on a gelada’s chest reflects the individual’s hormone levels. The patches of males become vivid red during their sexual peak, whereas the breast patches of females get swollen during oestrus. This has resulted in the monkeys being referred to as “bleeding-heart baboons.”

Diet

The gelada grazes to survive.
Geladas predominantly consume grass leaves, although they will opportunistically ingest fruits, insects, and even cereal crops in proximity to agricultural areas adjacent to their habitat. These grazers represent the final extant species of formerly abundant, herbivorous terrestrial monkeys.

Habitats

Where do geladas live?
The gelada is an Old World monkey endemic to the Ethiopian Highlands, with substantial populations located in the Simien Mountains. They are confined to elevated grassland escarpments within the profound gorges of the central Ethiopian plateau.