In a study published today in The American Naturalist, a group
of scientists led by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) have
used a technique developed to study human consumer choices to
investigate what influences a baboon's foraging decisions. The
technique, known as discrete choice modelling, has rarely been
used before in animal behaviour research. It showed how baboons
not only consider many social and non-social factors when making
foraging decisions, but also how they change these factors
depending on their habitat and their own social traits. Over a
six month period in Tsaobis Leopard Park in Namibia, ZSL
scientists followed troops of chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) on
foot from dawn to dusk. They recognised individual baboons by
distinguishing features, and closely observed both the
aggressive and friendly social relationships between baboons,
noting which food patch they foraged in and who they foraged
with. As expected, baboons were more likely to use patches
containing more food. More interestin