A Primate

The book A Primate’s Memoir by Robert M. Sapolsky takes the reader into the everyday life of a baboon. What Sapolsky was able to do was give insight in the everyday life of a baboon and we as the readers cannot help but compare and contrast the similarities and differences we have in common with these animals. Whether it is mating, fighting, competing, friendship or even mating we can all find similarities and differences. The book is filled with different stories taking and explaining the different personalities of each baboon in the tribe. By reading the book we as the readers are able to distinguish how closely similar or different we are to the baboons described by Sapolsky. With all of the different personality each baboon has, every single reader can surely relate to a baboon living in the tribe, due to the variations that is possessed within the tribe. Just like humans, the different personality each baboon has plays an important factor in their hierarchy as well as their mating success. Although not everyone agrees that humans and baboons are very much the same due to the difference in language and appearance, it is amazing how similar the two parties think and go about our everyday lives. There are many different types of social status within each baboon tribe used by either the male or females. The more dominate a male possesses himself to be, the higher his hierarchy or rank within the tribe will be. In a typical baboon troop, the alpha male and alpha female is looked upon as the ones with the most power and say within a given troop. The alpha male is viewed as superior to the baboons below him and shows great presence, courage and intelligence. The luxury of being the alpha male comes with great rewards whether it is mating, or being able to enjoy the best foods with little to no work needed. But for the alpha male to be able to earn their hierarchy “… they must demonstrate to males that they have grown up and that they are not a force to