Baboon adaptations to disease and predation: Evolution at the service of human-wildlife interactions (ADAPT)

The expansion of human activities across the world results in increased human-wildlife interactions. In particular, wildlife living within or close to human-modified landscapes are presented novel foraging opportunities.

South Africa, as the most industrialised biodiversity hot-spot in Africa, is at the forefront of human-wildlife conflict.

The chacma baboon, a primate generalist, forages on crops in agricultural fields, bark strips trees in pine plantations, and damages properties in urban areas, throughout South Africa. These baboon behaviours result in negative human-baboon interactions.

The ADAPT project aims to test a novel theoretical framework based on baboons' protective phenotypes to mitigate negative human baboon interactions.

Assuming disease and predation drive baboons' fine scale space- and time-use, ADAPT will use this "landscape of risk" framework to design evolutionary relevant mitigation strategies.