Baboons' Bizarre Behaviour Baffles Dutch Zoo

So, I took Google Earth, and oriented the map via the placement of the interview being conducted in the video, on the baboon veranda, and triangulated the trees, then determined the direction in which about 55 of the baboons appeared to be affixed in their attention ...which was indeed over the Savanna section, number 25 on the guide map.

Then extrapolated that true bearing via a great circle route across the globe. Shown below.

Shoot, nothing interesting along that line.

Funny, when you combine the last two posts...

Originally posted by TheEthicalSkeptic

Originally posted by intrptr
watch out theres trouble over there.

Pretty smart monkeys.
Maybe they've been watching the news or reading ATS.

Seriously though. Anyone have any idea about the “three finger” danger?
Any local “ghost” lore or something?

now they know how i feel when i see my mother in law

reply to post by gemdog


"Is it possible the baboons in
the Emmen zoo heard the 'mysterious
Groningen hum'? Emmen is only 37 miles
from Groningen."

yup I'll go with that, it sounds like the most logical explanation, I don't think its something sinister, such as earth tremors, ufo's, or bad treatment from tourists, or keepers etc, it is most likely the hum, it would be interesting of course if they tried to verify this, by recording the sound and playing it back to them. and to other baboons at other zoos too, to see if it holds water,,,, it wouldn't cost much to carry out that experiment and no baboons get hurt or maimed, just grumpy for a day or two.....

Originally posted by defcon5
Pretty smart monkeys.
Maybe they've been watching the news or reading ATS.

Seriously though. Anyone have any idea about the “three finger” danger?
Any local “ghost” lore or something?

Well Defcon a very curious thing. Baboons are one of the most instinctual critters on the face of the planet. They know man, they know predators, they know food, they know their troop politics, seemingly right out of the box - and even when born in captivity, exhibit an extraordinary grasp of their genetic ancestry & environmental challenges, from birth. Something, demonstrated often, that is not taught.

These, according to the material are East African Olive Baboons, Hamadryas. There are 5 total baboon habitats, and 5 evolutionary phenotypes in native ranges across mostly Equatorial Africa (BMC Evolutionary Biology (Mitochondrial phylogeography of baboons (Papio spp.) 23 APR 2009 – Zinner, et al.). Below I have marked on the same map, the ancestral habitat for this baboon phenotype, where it developed its instinctual base over about 1.5 million years of evolution.

This is where their instincts originate from. Coincidence? Very possible.

Interesting to say the least.

reply to post by TheEthicalSkeptic

I was jokingly referring to the fact that it looks like it runs through Turkey, Syria, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia....

Originally posted by defcon5
reply to post by TheEthicalSkeptic

 

I was jokingly referring to the fact that it looks like it runs through Turkey, Syria, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia....

Indeed very human politically astute baboons. I am headed to that region tomorrow, unfortunately.

Originally posted by CranialSponge
Goodbye and thanks for all the bananas.

Love that movie!

Originally posted by flipflop
reply to post by gemdog

 

"Is it possible the baboons in
the Emmen zoo heard the 'mysterious
Groningen hum'? Emmen is only 37 miles
from Groningen."

yup I'll go with that, it sounds like the most logical explanation, I don't think its something sinister, such as earth tremors, ufo's, or bad treatment from tourists, or keepers etc, it is most likely the hum, it would be interesting of course if they tried to verify this, by recording the sound and playing it back to them. and to other baboons at other zoos too, to see if it holds water,,,, it wouldn't cost much to carry out that experiment and no baboons get hurt or maimed, just grumpy for a day or two.....

That's a great idea! Someone casually go do it and video it and post the results. We'll be waiting.. This theory is best, I think, and pretty easy to check.