Stress Resilience : behavioural observations on captive Hamadryas baboons

• Main Author: King, Charis
• Other Authors: Mitra Rupshi
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: DRNTU::Science::Biological sciences::Zoology::Animal behavior
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/63637
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This study investigated possible behavioural patterns that could be factors or indicators of stress resilience, through an observational study of hamadryas baboons. In an environment with mostly social stressors, the baboons in the Singapore Zoo were studied, and the frequencies and durations of their various behaviours analysed. Stress resilient and vulnerable groups were created based on the frequency of coping mechanism behaviours performed. The groups’ means were analysed, and all the individuals were compared to determine possible trends. The results showed significant difference in the amount of movement between the resilient and vulnerable groups, suggesting high movement as a possible indicator of stress vulnerability. No significant differences were found for the other behaviours, but general trends suggested that higher affiliative behaviours between individuals might be associated with stress vulnerability. Showing aggression may be a factor of stress resilience, but vulnerable individuals may engage in aggression if they misjudge a situation. Too little fight target data were obtained for the results to be conclusive, but determining the difference in incidences where the individual was a target in a conflict could support the theory that aggression is a factor of resilience.