by – Megan Beardmore-Herd
With extreme weather events on the rise, a group of scientists studied how a major cyclone affected baboons and vervet monkeys in Gorongosa National Park.
Using data from long-term camera traps, the team compared where and how many primates were detected before and after Cyclone Idai in March 2019. They also looked at similar timeframes in previous years to identify patterns.
In the month following the cyclone, baboons shifted to areas with less severe flooding. However, once the floodwaters receded, their movements quickly returned to normal. Despite the storm, the overall numbers of baboons and vervet monkeys stayed steady, suggesting that these adaptable primates made behavioral changes to cope with the flooding.
By studying how these species responded to a major storm, scientists aim to learn more about how extreme weather may have influenced primate and human evolution. The findings also offer valuable insights into how primates might adapt to future environmental challenges.
The research, published in the American Journal of Biological Anthropology, was led by Megan Beardmore-Herd, Meredith Palmer, PhD, the Gaynor Lab at the University of British Columbia, and Professor Susana Carvalho.
This study was supported by Gorongosa National Park, the Gorongosa Paleo-Primate Project, St. Cross College, the Oxford School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and the Interdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and Human Evolution.
Read the full report – https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/5DPYCA6BUSY8VJGXHHVD?target=10.1002/ajpa.25049
Photo – Megan Beardmore-Herd