Fieldwork Update, Week 2 (originally published 5-21-08)

Hello again from the Simien Mountains. We had our first experience with hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas) this past week. The hamadryas baboons do not normally live at the same altitude as the geladas (Theropithecus gelada), but instead come up from the lowlands to eat rose hips around this time every year. Unlike the geladas, who are accustomed to our presence, the hamadryas baboons were very skittish and we were unable to get within 25 meters of them. In other non-gelada news, our research station has received a copy of a survey about leopard activity in Simiens from the park administration. Many of the local farmers have expressed concern about leopards taking their livestock over the past few months. I have yet to see a leopard (Panthera pardus), hyena (Crocuta crocuta), or an Ethiopian Wolf (Canis simensis) since entering the park two weeks ago. Populations of the three predators are quite low, especially the Ethiopian Wolf as it is the most endangered canine species in the world. I will consider myself to be very lucky to observe one of these wolves during my time here.

Due to the recent takeover of Fuji’s unit (see previous entry), we have spent the majority of our efforts in the past week focusing on collecting fecal samples from unit’s males and females. When not collecting fecal samples, I have been identifying the bachelor males that associate with our main study band. The bachelor males are slightly more difficult to identify compared to females and leader males. Little nicks and notches in the ears, combined with other features, make females pretty easy to spot. However, males develop long capes and manes as they mature. These hide the ears of mature males. Leader males are identified by both the females in their unit, and their “war wounds,” e.g. broken fingers, scars, ripped nostrils, and broken tails. Given their age, the bachelors have yet to accumulate as many “war wounds” as many of the leader males. While some are quite distinctive, e.g. Ahab, several are near photocopies of each other. On the positive end, I have identified and described ten bachelors in the past two weeks, so by the end of my time here I should have described/ named all of them.