Vigilance by Sentinels in a Group of Baboons (Papio hamadryas hamadryas) in a Zoo Setting

Abstract

Vigilance by sentinels is an anti-predator strategy by which certain group members keep watch from strategic positions, while the group is involved in other activities. Many anti-predatory behavior patterns observed in natural habitats are also deployed similarly when provoked by human presence. This work is part of a study conducted with a group of hamadryas baboons (Papio h. hamadryas) in semi-freedom in a 15-hectare zoo complex with extensive human pressure. The animals make incursions into an adjoining high-risk area to access food resources, making use of vigilance with sentinels and other risk minimization strategies. Results reveal that human presence provokes similar reactions to natural predatory pressure, forcing them to select strategies to minimize the factors involved in risk perception, such as the degree of visibility of the surroundings, minimizing the length of the incursion and behavioral restrictions.