Youtube Link: Baboons Steal And Raise Feral Dogs

[koalathebear]

Has anyone seen this video? It's quite fascinating - baboons kidnap wild puppies and raise them in their own pack. The dogs end up being part of the family - Stockholm Syndrome I guess :p Warning - the bit where the baboon kidnaps a puppy is a bit upsetting because the puppy doesn't want to go but clearly the dogs end up staying and growing up with the family.

The link to the webpage for the 10-part series is here. The website says that the series was produced by Saint Thomas Productions, France 5, France 3, Canal+, National Geographic Channels.

Edited to add Disclaimer:

Disclaimer: I have not seen the original documentary series from which the above extract has been taken. The link is to a third party site and I am not responsible for the accuracy or legitimacy of information found on the Internet.

Accordingly, I do not expressly or impliedly warrant the accuracy of the information contained therein nor endorse its veracity. I disclaim any liability to any person(s) who are feeling or expressing any irritation at said link. I merely thought it was interesting so thought I would share it with others. Any person(s) relying on this information should make their own inquiries and satisfy themselves as the appropriateness and application of the information and whether or not baboons really do kidnap and adopt wild dogs or whether they just hang out together hakuna matata style.

Edited August 8, 2011 by koalathebear

[melzawelza]

That is absolutely fascinating!! Poor little pup being dragged around... ouch!!

[Mags]

I would have thought seeing that they were taking the puppy to eat. Wouldn't have occurred to me they were taking the puppy so it could grow up with their troup.

[koalathebear]

Yes, I was a bit distressed by that at first but the older pups seemed quite happy to be living among and growing up with the baboons. I wonder if that's how dogs were first domesticated by humans???

The other day when the dogs were snoozing on our bed, OH and I were pondering how weird it was to have vicious carnivores lying on the bed with us and sharing our lives and how the wolves had got to 'this' point. I know people say that in ancient times, the dogs would have hung around the camp sites of humans and that there were mutual benefits to living near one another - but I wonder who made the first overture of friendship - wolf or human? :D

Edited August 7, 2011 by koalathebear

[Kirislin]

one of the dogs had a collar on. I dont think the baboons would have put that on it. I felt sorry for that poor little pup, I wonder why its mother didn't come rushing in when it was screaming.

[koalathebear]

Possible the wildlife are tagged by wildlife officers to keep track of them?

I felt sorry for the pup, too but given how bad its mother was at protecting it, perhaps it was better off where it ended up :p

[GeckoTree]

wow just like people did, who'd a thunked it.

[cannibalgoldfish]

How did this show them raising it? I saw a pup being dragged away (and yeah, most likely to be eaten) and then scenes of baboons and dogs hanging out. Could they just be sharing the same space (looked like a tip? ) rather than being "raised" by them?

Edited August 7, 2011 by Che Guava

[lovemymutts]

The last shot of the little pup showed him alone, without the baboons

My poor girl Elsa came rushing over (quite distressed) when she heard the pups cries. Had to mute it for a bit.

Just seems like a sad situation really...

[Polgara's Shadow]

That's pretty fascinating, and yes the puppy stealing part is distressing. I was astonished by the bit showing the baby baboons playing with the dog and the adult baboon stroke another dog with its tail. To me it looked like they were cohabiting rather than simply tolerating one another.

Vulcan was very curious and put his nose right up to the speaker when he heard the pup crying.

If you don't want to watch the puppy stealing go to 1:49 minutes in the last bit is quite sweet.

Edited August 8, 2011 by Polgara's Shadow

[MalteseLuna]

I'm skeptical... about whether the baboon really stole the dog and "raised it". It looked more like the dogs and baboons were sharing some space and that big male decided the pup was misbehaving or something. He did leave it alone after dragging it around and it was still "near" the other dogs.

The dogs did have collars - they didn't look like GPS collars though (which generally look bigger - those I've seen).

More to the story obviously!

[Bjelkier]

I fail to see how that shows baboon's raising the dogs.

All I can see is the dogs and the baboon's living in the area peacefully.

[koalathebear]

I haven't seen the original documentary series (although am thinking of chasing it down) from which the above extract has been taken so can't vouch for its veracity.

The link to the webpage for the 10-part series is here. The website says that the series was produced by Saint Thomas Productions, France 5, France 3, Canal+, National Geographic Channels.

[MalteseLuna]

I fail to see how that shows baboon's raising the dogs.

All I can see is the dogs and the baboon's living in the area peacefully.

Well "relatively" peacefully because that Male Baboon dragging the puppy was pretty horrific.

I do agree that the clip doesn't really show a connection between the "kidnapping" (where the pup was dragged what looked like a relatively small distance from the litter/parents) and them actually raising the dogs to preform a "role" or being part of the family group.

Perhaps I'm overly skeptical.

[koalathebear]

I fail to see how that shows baboon's raising the dogs.

All I can see is the dogs and the baboon's living in the area peacefully.

*points to disclaimer* I just thought that the link was interesting. I have not gone to personally verify if this dog-napping is indeed true or not. The documentary looks quite interesting overall so I'll have to see how easy it is to get.

[raz]

Well "relatively" peacefully because that Male Baboon dragging the puppy was pretty horrific.

They treat baby baboons the same way.

I thought that was really interesting.

[Kirislin]

I'm skeptical about them actually raising it, I cant imagine them finding and providing it with food.

My neice told me recently that when she was in Thailand she saw monkeys taking puppies up into the trees as if they were pets. She said they were careful enough not to drop the puppies, that they understood the puppies couldn't move around the trees like they could but they placed the puppies on branches where they could walk around. I thought that was pretty amazing.