Moreover, if the dogs are as fully integrated into the harems as the video states, they may attack any rival males, offering a clear advantage for the dominant male. Finally, he determined the breed of dog in the video – not a feral dog, but a type of pariah dog called the Caanan Dog – and contacted Duncan Schroeter, an expert on such dogs. I wouldn't call it kidnapping. Fluffy Chow Chow Puppy And Hooman Bond In Swimming Pool. After all, we almost certainly kidnapped wolf or wild dog puppies for our own purposes, training them to stand guard, protect families, and hunt, among other things. Canaans and the free living stock are naturally wary of anything or anyone new to them and certainly in some areas are more likely to keep a safe distance from baboons. As to whether or not there’s an actual familial bond going on between the baboons and dogs, again, we won’t know the full story until there’s more extensive research done. It’s all the more remarkable if this is a unique example of dog/monkey interaction. Primates, dogs and cats are all social animals that tolerate other non predatory species so perhaps it is not too surprising that when they come together in areas of abundant food that they would be happy to associate with each other in this way. Sadly I don't think there will be an English language version. Some baboons w… Life is Better With Your Dog, A Short Film by Bark & Co. An Open Letter To Puppies From Senior Dogs Who Are Sick Of This Poop, 16 Dog Breeds Who Never Outgrow Their Puppy Looks, 23 Dog Gifts To Include On Your Wedding Registry, 21 Etsy Gifts For People Who Like Dogs More Than Humans, 17 Things All Doodle Parents Know To Be True, Labrador Retriever who’s best buds with an elephant, Bull Mastiff momma dog who adopted a baby chimpanzee, Saudi Arabian American Baboon Research Association. The puppy shots show a pathetic youngster. While the first 30 seconds are a little upsetting, trust me, it ends well. At first glance, you might think that the Mandrill is a species of baboon. Generally baboons climb to safe places for the night where dogs are unlikely to be able to follow. While the first 30 seconds are a little upsetting, trust me, it ends well. After all, dogs have evolved (or been bred) to accept a subordinate position in a mixed human / dog pack (and also to eat human garbage). Baboons (in fact, they make horrible pets) are wild animals that need a lot of room to run around. We all remember Koko the gorilla and her love of cats. One of the researchers described this genetic line of foxes as "dragons"! There’s the Labrador Retriever who’s best buds with an elephant, there’s the Dachshund who loves a disabled lion – and vice versa – like a brother, and there’s the Bull Mastiff momma dog who adopted a baby chimpanzee, which just makes me want to cry my eyeballs out it’s so adorable. Baboons and Monkeys BABOONS & MONKEYS DO NOT MAKE GOOD PETS The words cute, cuddly, intriguing, funny and interesting will often come to one’s mind when watching baboons and monkeys playing in their ‘natural’ environment. (My PhD is in animal behavior.) The problem with the entire sequence from a scientific point of view, however, is that there is no documentation of anything. Remember, according to Brian Hare (and others), dogs are smarter than chimps in some ways. Looing forward to see what this shows us but at the moment I have reservations about it. But what about outside of captivity? the way "feral" children sometimes seek comfort and companionship with feral dogs? Hal. In areas I observed where there were dogs and baboons present but not associating to this degree there was not really much competition as he dogs tended to stay within reach of where they could scavenge from, for example out of restaurant or house discarded rubbish while the baboons moved over larger areas searching for insects etc. A benefit to the dogs of course is they get groomed and any ticks are removed in the same way that baboons groom each other. For the most part baboons and monkeys don’t want any involvement with humans and would prefer to just be non-human primates doing non-human primate things. Hal, you have hit on a great topic for a study or dissertation for sure! If ‘pet’ is defined as a selectively-bred domesticated animal, then this may the closest example of a non-human ‘keeping a pet’. If the baboon were already dead, the hyenae probably would eat it. If this interspecies cooperation is accurate it would be well worth studying though! They are only found within reach of human food sources in order to scavenge. Monkeys and dogs tolerate each other and even play in India. Puppy Mills, Pandemics, Disaster Preparedness, and Decency, The baboon/dog interactions were filmed in a garbage dump in Saudi Arabia by a French film crew. They would seem to be semi-domesticated, perhaps similar to dingoes. It seems the male is just 'playing' with the puppy. They were, indeed, familiar with the Ta'if baboon troop, but they knew of no documented evidence that the baboons kept dogs as pets. Either way it will no doubt be interesting! It is easy and more sensational to put any interpretation on commercial ‘documentaries.’”. I was only recently told about this and watched the short clip on YouTube. “Kidnapped pups grow up with the baboon family, feeding with them at the dump, following the migrations of the group, and sleeping together. Thanks for posting this - whatever the truth is it badly needs full scientific unbiased study. Such experiments really do seem (to me) to indicate that genetic influences have at least as much impact on behaviors as environmental factors do, if not more, possibly even in the case of human behaviors. But before bringing home a companion, do your research to make sure you’re prepared to meet its needs. Interspecies play is not unheard of and the dogs and baboons could easily be doing this due to their close proximity and playful nature. All we know is what the video tells us, but there’s just not enough of it to bolster those claims. We don’t, really. They are not used to herd in any way and are not selectively bred. While ownership of dogs in Saudi is discouraged younger Saudis do increasingly keep them. Interestingly, another video featuring a baboon manhandling a puppy popped up earlier this year (courtesy of The Naturalist’s Notebook). With regards to a the beach in South America - without knowing where it was with 200 people camping it does not sound all that remote to me and presumably dogs there had been introduced by people in the first place so I don't see that this has much connection to dogs being "adopted" by baboons. Those hyper-aggressive foxes are scary and dangerous; *even when caged* the "dragons" were able to inflict bites and lacerations to careless researchers. It is well worth the cost of a cup of coffee to purchase a download or DVD in my opinion. Their main concern is not to be someone’s lunch. Does that indicate that he or she is truly a part of the baboon’s harem? Several studies have now traced these difference in behavior to changes in the brain under different selective forces. How do we know this is the case? The footage had been packaged into a nature-show segment (see link below) that purported to illustrate—with mixed reactions from dog and baboon experts—that troops of baboons kidnap puppies and keep them as pets. Why are so many people drawn to conspiracy theories in times of crisis? Maybe there’s just something about wanting to take care of dogs that’s hardwired into our primate DNA. I have studied olive baboons for 43 years. Many species of wild non-predatory wild animals congregate around food and water sources and baboons not infrequently also handle young antelope when and if they get the opportunity. I toyed with the idea of going down there myself after my phd, but as mentioned the visa requirements makes it quite a challenge. Apart from the dwindling numbers of Bedouin Saudis do not welcome pet dogs in their homes. There are probably more living free than with Bedouin. If food supply ceases to be a concern, an animal has more time to care for and play with a ‘pet’. This meant that no stranger could get anywhere near, at least after dark, without our "permission". The hyena men of Nigeria: Nomads tame baboons and snakes to make them perform. I was certainly haunted by it, particularly because it undercuts my contention that only humans keep pets. Is there enough edible human refuse (literally, "junk food") to keep everyone fat and happy so the monkeys and dogs don't compete for food. Baboons even groom and play with the dogs, a sure sign they’ve been accepted by the male of the harem, as these primates only groom family members. They can weigh up to 9… Scientific circle still debate just what "domestication" actually means. Three things distinguished this relationship from what I would consider a true human / pet relationship. Then Duncan raised the big question. Hi Hal, Most of their diet comprises fruit, seeds, bulbs, rhizomes, the thick bases of grass stems and invertebrates. Science fiction. Sadly my understanding of French is minimal so I still need to find a French speaker to sit and watch this latest 42 minute production with me. Sharing 91% DNA similarities with humans is the Baboon. What about other cases of domestication by animals? Short and smooth, it has been the main cause for their decline, as their fur was highly praised in the past and were thus hunted down. Baboons regularly visit this and other rubbish tips in the country but don't usually overnight in them, leaving around sunset. Regarding the precise genetic origins of domestic dogs, the Eurasian, Indian and Arabian subspecies have been suggested. http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2009/12/the-science-of-success/307761/2/. My feeling is that dogs domesticated us as much as, if not more than, we domesticated them. The anthrozoologist Boria Sax, author of the wonderful new book City of Ravens, wrote (again, on Facebook): "You can't tell just what is happening from the video alone, and we have only the word of the narrator that the dogs are kept as pets. The relationship seems to benefit both dog and baboon. I realize that that is not a politically correct line of thinking because as human beings we want to believe that we are not just "programmed" or predestined to have negative, or defective, or counter-productive patterns of thought or behavior, but, if its even partly true it would seem to me that knowing that would give us more power, more effective and targeted treatment of "hardwired" behavioral issues because we'd know where at least part of the problem is coming from. As an afterthought, another explanation for the eating ritual of the baboon/dogs could be that the dogs will undoubtably have a scavenger nature, rather than a hunter, meaning that they could simply wait until the baboons have had their fill and then eat the spoils. For example, ants keep aphids. Everything You Need To Know If Your Stressed-Out Dog Says "HECK NOPE" To July 4th Fireworks, 11 Long-Lasting Chews For Dogs Who'd Chew Through Drywall, 10 Things You May Not Know About Military Dogs, 10 Tips & Tricks On Surviving Self-Isolation With Your Dog, 15 Holiday Hazards You May Not Realize Are Dangerous For Your Pup, Alaskan Klee Kai Breed Information Guide: Quirks, Pictures, Personality & Facts. Yes, as Hal Herzog pointed out, male baboons do have a habit of stealing infant female baboons and bringing them into their harems, so it’s possible he’s doing something similar with the dogs. As you point out, pet dogs are rare in Arabia, but are there any wolves or golden jackals present locally? A few years back, a video started making the rounds on the Internet – taken from a British series titled Animals Like Us – that seemed to answer that question with an emphatic yes. Or is he or she just a really calm dog that doesn’t mind being picked up by strange monkeys? Do not walk through a troop of baboons; instead, wait for an opportunity to walk around them, or wait for them to leave before you proceed. It would not be a good pet to have. Where I live in Africa humans use dogs for hunting but also regularly kill and eat their own "pet" dogs. Why Are There So Many Pit Bulls In Shelters? The kiss of death. Sign up & unlock all stories & get the best pup shenanigans each week! Ta'if baboons have regular contact with humans and are sometimes fed by people. Males also sport colorful skin on their muzzles. Should Pets Be Banished From the Bedroom? I doubt if we can ever know how long this association has been occurring but my guess would be that it is relatively recent probably developing as recent human population has modernised and soared leading to the abundance of food in these dumps. That's perfect timing, thanks for the tip! Amazingly, the baboons' pets are dogs. Official international bodies recognise that the capture of wild monkeys like these inflicts great suffering on animals who are taken from their natural habitat and families.These wild baboons were held in poor conditions at the Institute of Primate Research in Nairobi. The baboons I study try to play with hyrax (who ignore them) and so baboon juveniles slap the hyrax in frustration. I agree that "adoption" is probably not the correct word to explain what occurs here. There is no such thing as a fight between ONE hyena and something else. I hope that someone actually does some field work at this site (which sounds like a hell hole). I think it likely involved the right person and the right wolf recognising each other. However it occurred it did occur and of course we can no longer draw parallels between dogs and wolves, a mistake many have made. Turning the baboon-dog relationship upside down also fits what the ideas about the human-dog co-evolution that have been suggested by Brian Hare. However, whatever the provenance of the video, I think that it is reasonable to conclude that at a minimum the dogs and baboons have formed what could be termed a "mixed species pack". There's An App For That. I’m not aware of a consensus as yet, but if you’re aware of any papers I should read I’d appreciate a link. ‘You can never get enough of a marmoset’ is the phrase that is often heard, however, keeping marmosets as pets is not such a good idea. I have not heard anyone say they have seen baboons eating dogs but possibly this could happen if a dog died for whatever reason, I don't know. If you know more about it than I do, send me an e-mail or write a comment at the end of this post. And RE the fox-domestication experiment, those researchers also created a separate strain of "super vicious" foxes, by interbreeding the foxes that showed more fearful, human-avoidant traits over several generations. Is addressed in the youtube documentary. It is possible that food availability could be reduced as disposal methods of human refuse change. Science fiction. It seems to me that to look for what benefit there is to any of these species is a very human idea based on greed - what do I get out of it? Current DNA evidence while not been absolute points to the Gray wolf as the ancestor of dogs not the Arabian wolf. The baboons' dogs chase off wild dog packs. Baboons are the world's largest monkeys, according to National Geographic. Is it a long-term or temporary arrangement? This is an important observation, as I have been looking for examples of pet-eating. It is hoped that will happen if it can be financed which is always a problem. Then I put the clip on my Facebook page and contacted some researchers who study canine behavior and evolution: James Serpell, Clive Wynne, Alan Beck, Julie Hecht, and Adam Miklosi. Yes, they do. While it would still be good to investigate properly I increasingly believe this is a case of making a "documentary" that will make money. The claim made here is that baboons adopt dogs. Hal Herzog is the author of Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It's So Hard To Think Straight About Animals. Obviously, if we go strictly by what the video tells us, we already know the answer to the question proposed in the title of this piece – do baboons actually keep dogs as pets? These dogs can also not truly be called strays as they have not strayed from a life as pets. Often in the rubbish dumps several baboon troops may intermingle, dispersing at night into their separate groups. http://www.arte.tv/guide/fr/048328-001/l-evolution-en-marche-1-3. I would also be inclined to describe housecats as semi-domesticated. I do think that food availability is a very important factor. Firstly the dogs were autonomous; secondly the relationship was transient; and finally, other than at the very basic level of eating and "defending territory", there was no commitment or responsibility on either side. Distinguished this relationship from what and familiarity between the species may not be winner. Is to that of dingoes and Arabian wolves for and play thing kidnap kittens, but there ’ harem. Pariah morphology similarities found worldwide video ’ s just something about wanting to care... A remote beach in central America — a future project, they are often later requested put! Does one baboon care for and play with a ‘ pet ’ the question... 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