About BaboonsRus
How and why it all began
• 10 min read
A Legacy of Baboon Research and Conservation
The Uaso Ngiro Baboon Project (UNBP), formerly the Gilgil Baboon Project, was founded by Dr. Shirley C. Strum in 1972. It began as a short-term study, but by 1976, it had developed into the Gilgil Baboon Project. In 1984, after the translocation of three baboon troops to the Eastern Laikipia Plateau due to conflict with farmers, it became the Uaso Ngiro Baboon Project. This area, about 100 km north of Mt. Kenya, is a high-altitude savanna where drought remains a constant challenge for both baboons and local Maasai pastoralists.
Research and Conservation
Under the leadership of Dr. Shirley C. Strum, the project shifted to prioritizing human-wildlife conflict. Researchers work closely with local Kenyans, training them as para-biologists and para-ecologists. The project also involves graduate students and interns from various places around the world.
Key Research Areas:
- Social relationships and social dynamics
- The two-way interaction of baboons and ecology
- The daily decisions about where to go and what to eat
- Baboon life histories
- Eating Opuntia cactus fruit
- Unusual events like the development of hunting behavior and the invasion of prickly pear cactus
Community-Based Conservation and Ecotourism:
UNBP helped pioneer community-based conservation in Kenya and beyond, with initiatives in education, employment, and local enterprise. Ecotourism focusing on baboons and Maasai culture was developed. This includes guided baboon walks and tours showcasing the local ecology.
Ongoing Research and Funding:
Research continues on human-wildlife conflict, particularly baboon depredation of livestock during dry seasons. Currently, younger collaborators are also investigating juvenile behavior and the variation in behavior and physical development among subadult and adult males around puberty. One of these students is examining how relationships form between large males and infants. Over the years, it has been funded by various international organizations and foundations and operates under the sponsorship of Kenyan research institutions.
Education and Outreach
The project aims to improve public perception of baboons through documentaries, articles, and books. UNBP works with local communities and organizations to educate about baboon behavior and prevent conflict. They also participate in educational outreach programs helping nursery, primary, and secondary schools in the area.