Gelada
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The picture shows a physical similarity to baboons, however, they are the sole representatives of the Theropithecus genus.
Like another Ethiopian species, the Hamadryas Baboon, their social structure builds on a unimale multifemale platform.
Local grasses constitute most of their diet, making them non-competitive with other nearby large mammal species.
The picture hightlights a red patch on the male. Recent research A simple method for measuring colour in wild animals suggests:
"Unique among primates, geladas have a red patch of skin on their chest and neck, which, for males, is thought to be a sexually selected signal.
Offering some support to this hypothesis, we found differences in chest ‘redness’ for males across different age groups, with males in their reproductive prime exhibiting the reddest chests."
The IUCN lists them as a species of least concern.
© 2010 Patricia A. Michaels.