Sc. Alberts et J. Altmann, Immigration and hybridization patterns of yellow and anubis baboons in andaround Amboseli, Kenya, AM J PRIMAT, 53(4), 2001, pp. 139-154
In 1986, Samuels and Altmann reported evidence for a hybrid zone between Pa
pio anubis and Papio cynocephalus in Amboseli, Kenya, in a baboon populatio
n that has been the subject of long-term study since 1971 [Samuels & Altman
n, International Journal of Primatology 7:131-138, 1986]. In the current re
port we document ongoing patterns of hybridization in Amboseli between anub
is and yellow baboons. In July 2000, we exhaustively scored living members
of study groups for their degree of hybridity, using seven phenotypic chara
cteristics (five in juveniles). We also scored all former members of study
groups on the basis of photographic records, field notes, and observer reco
llections. A total of five anubis males and 11 males with hybrid phenotypes
have immigrated into study groups over the course of the long-term study,
and immigrations by hybrid males have increased in frequency over time. Fur
ther, the increasing frequency of hybrid phenotypes among animals born into
study groups indicates that anubis and hybrid males have successfully repr
oduced in study groups. However, hybrid phenotypes and anubis immigrations
were limited to groups in the southwestern portion of the Amboseli basin, w
ith no hybrids occurring in the six eastern groups. Finally, we present evi
dence that anubis and hybrid males in Amboseli exhibit patterns of natal di
spersal that are different from those of yellow males in Amboseli: males wi
th anubis or hybrid phenotypes were significantly more likely to immigrate
as juveniles or young subadults than were yellow males. Am. J. Primatol. 53
:139-154, 2001. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.