Predation Report — Day 30
Unsuccessful Baboon Hunt
| Date: | July 29, 1974 |
| Observers: | Curt Busse and Kassim Selemani |
’ Figan suddenly made a rush towards the infant. He nearly caught it, too. But somehow or other it escaped and leapt to the ground. It was amazing — it must have been at least forty feet, that leap. And then the little thing landed right between Faben and Goblin!’ — Jane Goodall
Goodall, J. (1990). Through a window: My thirty years with the chimpanzees of Gombe. Houghton Mifflin. Page 61.
Curt reports: At 0930 Figan, Faben, Satan, Goblin, Gigi, Fifi, Patti, and Sparrow were resting and grooming on the ground near the beach north of Kasakela when several A-troop mother-infant baboons traveled past within 10 m. There was little response by the chimps other than an arm-threat by Goblin of a mother-infant baboon. At 1007 this entire group (except Satan) traveled past AK1 into Lower Kasakela where they fed on kitota.
Mother and infant olive baboons in Mitumba Valley, Gombe, 2024. 
At 1037, Hoktika (mother baboon) and Hanne (infant, ventral) moved into a large tree near Figan to feed. No other baboons were in sight, though others were audible in the distance. Figan stopped feeding and looked at these mother-infant baboons for a minute. He then went into the tree with hair-out and acted nonchalant as Hoktika looked down at him.
Figan advanced to within 8 m and there was still no alarm by Hoktika. A few seconds later Figan suddenly charged along the large branch and chased Hoktika who quickly avoided out of the tree to the safety of the ground. Figan came no closer than five meters from these baboons.
An infant baboon was then heard about 40 m to the east; Figan descended from the tree and traveled in that direction. Faben and Goblin joined Figan and they all sat looking into the trees as several baboons were present including one adult male.
Figan climbed 2 m into an empty tree and surveyed the situation. He then descended to the ground and traveled downhill 10 m to a tall mabungo post “tree” where a young “wild bunch” baboon was feeding alone at the top 15 m up. The tree was essentially a 15 m high post covered with mabungo kidogo and other vines. The infant was hidden from view and feeding at the top – there were essentially no escape routes.
The adult male baboon 30 m away still didn’t take notice as Figan slowly climbed 10 m up towards the young baboon who still showed no alarm. Then another adult male baboon became wise to the situation and rushed over towards the tree just as Figan rushed up the tree at the baboon infant. Figan couldn’t have missed by more than a foot as the young baboon miraculously leapt 15 m to the ground and landed right between Faben and Goblin.
It was too dense to see whether Faben or Goblin grabbed the infant, but at that instant the adult male baboon charged in and lunged at the chimps. I didn’t see any more of the infant as it must have escaped during the tremendous fight between Goblin and the adult male baboon.
During this fight Goblin scored an impressive TKO by chasing off the baboon. Another adult male baboon, Bramble, charged in and chased Faben up a tree. Two adult females joined Bramble as they exchanged threats with Faben for over two minutes. Faben was definitely on the defensive, though there was no contact.
A handsome adult male olive baboon in Mitumba Valley, Gombe, 2024.
These baboons then left Faben and Figan, who had suffered none of the consequences of his predation attempt. He pant-hooted from up in the tree where he had almost caught the infant.
Figan, Faben, Gigi, Goblin, and Fifi then traveled off towards Camp. During travel Figan stopped under a low ngazi tree in Plum Tree Thicket where an adult male and mother-infant baboons were feeding. Figan watched them for a minute, then moved on after Faben did a pant-hoot-drum display nearby.
Several Camp Troop baboons were present as Figan, Faben, and Gigi entered Camp at 1134. The chimps took no interest in the baboons.