Coalitions among gelada baboons

Geladas spend an unusually large amount of time in quiet, mutual grooming in this captive sample, part of which is presumably due to the effects of captivity and part is a reflection of the gelada pattern of social interactions. The most frequent signals associated with threat or displacement (lid) occurs only at a rate of 5.3 times per hour. Herding and displacement activities are important, but infrequent.One-male bisexual units are extremely cohesive. A male does not tolerate the positioning of another male between himself and any of his females, and the adults of the groups react antagonistically to each other's proximity.The solitary male is not groomed by other adults, but stays withChief's group and backsChief in interactions with the other group.Chief's group is a two-male unit in some ways, but withDemon being excluded from any activity or location which interferes withChief's interactions with his group.The females inEcho's group exhibit a dominance hierarchy, as measured in displacement, or denial of desirable social space. Interactions between individuals ofEcho's group reflect strong preferences between individuals, prohibitions toward certain relationships by more dominant individuals, and the ability to enlist the support of others in coalitions. Coalitions are simply another expression of social relationships that are more frequently expressed in grooming, proximity, and displacement.