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 PRIMATES
NIGHT
APE
 Similar to the bush baby but
smaller in body size, more triangular face with huge big eyes, and a long thin tail with a
fluffy end. They are arboreal and strictly nocturnal occurring in a variety of woodland
types, especially Acacia, eating mainly insects and fruit.
MONKEY
Three types of monkey occur in
Zambia. The Vervet Monkey is very common throughout a variety of woodland types. Moving in
troops of about 20, they feed on young shoots, seeds and fruit but occasionally will eat
insects and birds eggs. The Blue monkey and Maloney’s monkey have occasionally been
sighted in Luangwa, but their numbers are small.
BUSH
BABY
Called so because of its loud
wailing scream, the bushbaby is an elusive tree creature, usually only spotted on night drives and then only its red eyes can be seen high up in the trees. They spend their days
in hollow trees and forage among the treetops at night for insects and fruit. Very agile
in trees but awkward on the ground, hopping in a frog like fashion. They are usually
solitary, but may group together to form small and temporary communities
 The lesser
galago, also called bush baby, is one of the smallest primates, about the
size of a squirrel. Despite its size, it is exceptionally vocal, producing
loud, shrill cries surprisingly like those of a human baby. The plaintive
cries and "cute" appearance may account for the name "bush
baby." It and its larger cousin, the greater galago
Bush babies have large, round eyes for good
night vision and batlike ears that enable them to track insect prey in the
dark. Fast, agile and accurate, they catch some insects on the ground and
snatch others from the air. As they jump through thorn bush or thick
growth, they fold their delicate ears flat against their heads to protect
them. They fold them during rest, too.
Bush babies hide during the day in order to
avoid contact with predators such as eagles and large snakes. Since they
are easily captured on ground they mostly stay in trees and rely on their
extraordinary jumping capabilities
BABOON
The Chacma baboon and the
Yellow baboon occur in Zambia. They are both gregarious animals, occurring in troops of
about 50 or more, feeding on the ground and in trees on fruit, seeds, rhizomes and
insects. The basic unit is a harem - one dominant male surrounding himself with a number
of breeding females. Their mating is frequent but for very short bursts at a time, usually
only about 15 - 20 seconds. They breed at any time of the year and their gestation period
is about 6 months. They have a strictly disciplined society, each member of the troop
knowing his own status and ruled over by an elite group of elders. Any member of the clan
who tries to usurp another’s position is taken to task by the dominant males who gang
up against the offender resulting in an explosion of screaming and squawking. The degree
of dominance among ruling members of the clan is shown by the angle at which they hold
their tails: the higher the angle, the more dominant the male.
Baboons sleep, travel, feed and socialize together in groups of about
50 individuals, consisting of seven to eight males and approximately twice
as many females plus their young. These family units of females, juveniles
and infants form the stable core of a troop, with a ranking system that
elevates certain females as leaders. A troop's home range is well-defined
but does not appear to have territorial borders. It often overlaps with
the range of other baboons, but the troops seem to avoid meeting one
another.
The baboon's major predators are humans. Knowing that humans can easily
kill or injure them when they are in trees, baboons usually escape through
undergrowth. Males may confront other predators like leopards or cheetahs
by forming a line and strutting in a threatening manner while baring their
large canines and screaming. Baboons are fierce fighters, but a
demonstration such as this can put the predator on the run.
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COMMON WILDLIFE
SIGHTINGS IN ZAMBIA
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