Big Baboons - May 2010

All 18 baboons are doing well and we can see their personalities growing each day. Every baboon is loved for their individual characteristics whether it be Nemo flirting with all our female volunteers, Jeffrey saying hello whilst rubbing his favourite rock on his chest, Jelly Tot washing his food in the waterhole, Bobby falling out the trees or Bucket giving his famous and much loved Bucket hugs to people. 
 

They all seem to love  their walks twice a week with our volunteers and each walk brings something new and exciting . Big Momma and her daughter Lee are becoming more and more comfortable with our volunteers and now sit with them under the netted camel thorn tree. Both Big Momma and Lee enjoy taking berries from our volunteers hands and although Big Momma still doesn't climb or sit on anyone (thank goodness as she is a heavy baboon!), Lee  loves jumping and climbing on people and giving kissess under the watchful eye of Big Momma. To be able to see the transformation of these two baboons' characters is amazing and the trust between humans and these once wild baboons is truly incredible. 

Poor Nemo has been demoted and is no longer Alpha male in the troop. Spock has now taken over and is clearly in charge (second to Big Momma of course!). Nemo doesn't seem to mind though as he and Spock are great friends and both still throw their weight around in the troop (literally throwing their weight around).

Mowgli is getting along extremely well with all the other baboons and is now joining in with them more. He is growing rapidly and is now the second largest baboon in the camp, only being outsized by Big Momma herself. He is becoming quite entertaining on the walks and is still conducting his regular searches of the volunteers pockets and giving them the grooming of their lives.  

  

The baboons enjoyed an hour long water fight last Saturday with Cila and Shaun (our new Security manager and Wildlife Assistant), who were attempting to clean out their waterhole. Both of them clearly lost as they came out of the camp covered in mud and soaking wet! However they gave the baboons a run for their money and managed to soak nearly all of them. Nemo and Spock were intent on getting the buckets and brushes - this battle, however, the humans won. Sorry boys better luck next time..............