BEAM students vs animals

As we get into data collection for the student's final projects, we have begun to disturb several herbivores in the Mara. Several groups of students are interested in looking at anti-predator behavior in antelope. However, in order to look at anti-predator behavior, one must first wait around for a predator. This poses a problem, however. It is rare to see an actual hunt take place by a lion or hyena (even rarer to see one by a leopard), so we really can't simply wait around until some lazy carnivore gets off its butt and decides to get breakfast. So, like any good researcher, the students had to get creative.

We found a beautiful leopard...but its not looking alert (Photo:Nick Johnson)

Yup, definitely not going to scare any antelope for us  (Photo: Nick Johnson)

For instance, we have one group (Leah and Katie) who was interested in impala threat signals. They want to know whether impala raise their tail in response to a threat simply because it is an automatic reflex (in response to being startled), or if it is actually a signal they use deliberately in response to a predator (either to warn other impala or confuse the predator). This group  has loud speakers and are playing just static noise (which should simply startle the animals) or vocalizations of different predators at groups of impala to see how they respond. I'm sure there are several impala wandering around the Mara wondering why grizzly bear noises are coming out of tourist vehicles...

A nice impala butt for you

Another group (Aaron and Dan) is interested in how topi recognize predators. They are wondering whether topi recognize predators visually by their coat pattern and color. We have some leopard and print cloth on us, so the boys excitedly took it out on a drive and waved the pattern outside the car window at the topi, who stared at us for a moment and then promptly went back to grazing.


That was anti-climatic, so they went back to the drawing board, and lo and behold, Sisyphus (aka Sissy) was born. Sissy is a bunch of sticks draped in leopard cloth who vaguely maybe if you squint resembles a leopard. We put Sissy outside of the car (using the car as a blind), drive away, and then watch how the topi reacts. Weirdly, Sissy is apparently intimidating. The topi stomp, snort in alarm, and generally stare VERY intently at Sissy. The next step is to dress Sissy up in zebra print (instead of leopard print) and see if the topi react the same way. If they are as good at recognizing patterns as the students think, they'll just think its a fellow grazer and not be bothered in the least.

Meet Sissy, the terror of the Maasai Mara

The resemblance is uncanny

Some concerned topi meet Sissy

So we''re feeling pretty smart, having tricked both topi and impala into demonstrating their anti-predator behavior. Don't worry though. We aren't getting big heads. As soon as we start feeling good about ourselves, the frigin monkeys attack.

Yes, that's right. These cute little vervet monkeys are terrorizing our camp. No snack or tent is safe from their destruction.

A monkey watching me close up my tent. It's plotting.

Lurking over the porch

Hiding behind chairs

They are there during student presentations, lurking outside while we're eating our breakfast, stealing croissants from the kitchen, and sneaking into our tents. They take our snacks and leave their poop. Then they have the audacity to continue looking cute after this demonic behavior.

A monkey making a break for the kitchen

An infuriatingly cute baby going for some crumbs

The war will continue with the monkeys. I'm hoping the boys will let me borrow Sissy so she can teach those rotten things a lesson.