SWNOVELXO Chapter 858: The Curious Baboon
Due to the drought, several baboons with black fur crouched on the large, not lush tree trunks.
The flat terrain of the savanna made it too easy for Bi Fang and Harley to be spotted by the baboons in the trees.
A lookout baboon puffed its cheek pouch and opened its thin, protruding mouth to emit a dry howl, warning its companions below.
Called by their mates, the baboons that were playfighting on the ground quickly dispersed, jumped a few steps, climbed to the treetops, and stood on branches to observe the newcomers. Soon, one after another, black coal-like figures rolled from the ground to higher ground.
In no time, the trees were densely covered with baboons.
The group of baboons appeared restless as they watched the sudden appearance of a man and a leopard on the savanna, scurrying around on the rough branches.
Several large trees seemed like they were covered with huge black balls of yarn, slowly writhing in the wind of the savanna.
Even though the distance was too great and the sunlight blurred the view, making it not too clear, viewers could distinctly feel that "they" were being stared at by dozens of eyes, causing goosebumps on their backs.
Any animal, when in large numbers, instinctively brings a sense of danger.
[Is this a baboon?]
[It kind of looks like it.]
[I thought there were no monkeys in Africa.]
[You can tell by the face that it's a baboon.]
Bi Fang squinted in the sunlight and took a moment to recognize the animal, subsequently clarifying the viewers' doubts.
"Actually, there are monkeys in Africa, and there are quite a few species, over ninety, but what we have in front of us are baboons."
"The difference between baboons and monkeys is easy to recognize, starting with the environment."
"Baboons mainly live in tropical rainforests or semi-arid savannas and hilly areas, which are common in Africa."
"Monkeys, on the other hand, are mainly found in Asia, Africa, America, and most live in forests, not typically on savannas."
"This is actually due to their different survival capabilities."
"Baboons are a bit larger, especially their heads are quite robust, their lips are very pronounced, just like dogs having snouts, and their brow bones are highly raised, but their ears are very small, suitable for movement on the ground."
"Monkeys don't have such large bodies, and there are many types of monkeys. They are very agile, but they can't compete on the harsh savannas like baboons for some of the terrestrial resources."
Survival in nature is quite brutal, and weaker species can only survive in the gaps.
The sky, the ocean, and the ground are the three major life layers.
The forest layer, situated between the ground and the sky, represents such a gap.
Baboons are stronger than the nearby monkeys, allowing them to occupy some terrestrial territory while living in the forest layer.
"As for baboons, there are fewer species; currently, only five are recognized worldwide, namely the Arabian Baboon, Guinea Baboon, East African Baboon, Savanna Baboon, and Olive Baboon."
"Judging by geography and appearance, without a doubt, what we see here is a group of Savanna Baboons, larger in size, second only to orangutans among primates. Despite looking only half the size of a human, they are actually very dangerous."
"[I can see it now]"
"[Really?]"
"[I don't believe it, those weaklings, I can take them down with one punch each]"
"Some people can't even beat the monkeys of Emei Mountain, let alone dream of defeating a group of baboons on the savanna (eating watermelon)]"
"I'm serious, as primates, whether we compare humans with monkeys or baboons, there's a difference in muscle composition, and we are not as explosive as they are."
"Two-thirds of these primates' muscle fibers are fast-twitch fibers, while ordinary humans mainly have slow-twitch fibers, which account for only half."
"Fast-twitch fibers are thicker than slow-twitch fibers and are about 22% larger in volume under similar conditions, and this data comes from Schwarzenegger's Bodybuilding Book, and their contraction speed is 2–3 times that of slow-twitch fibers, allowing them to generate more force."
"The abundance of fast-twitch fibers gives gorillas, baboons, and monkeys a natural advantage in strength and a more robust physique, but fast-twitch fibers consume more energy and fatigue easily, nowhere near as enduring as slow-twitch fibers."
"Combining measurement data and computer simulation results, some researchers believe that the muscle strength of these primates is 1.35 times that of humans of the same volume, as published in the Ugly Country's 'Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.'"
"Plus the difference in body fat percentage, the strength of a 50-kilogram adult male primate is roughly equivalent to an 80-kilogram fit human."
"The evolution of humans has adjusted the proportion of different muscle fibers in our muscles, showing a unique direction of human evolution, sacrificing some strength for better endurance to better adapt to terrestrial life."
"[So you just throw out papers when we disagree, huh?]"
"[I just want to ask, does anyone really check the articles that Master Fang mentioned after the livestream ends? (Dog's Head)]"
"[Truly rational and well-founded]"
"[I'd willingly call Master Fang a science communicator, no problem, right?]"
"[Only about one meter tall, probably doesn't weigh fifty kilograms, right?]"
"Indeed, the weight of savanna baboons is usually not over thirty kilograms, but that doesn't mean they can't pose a threat to humans. Don't forget, they are social animals and their numbers are quite terrifying; each group usually exceeds 30 individuals, comprising multiple males and females, a structure not comparable to that of wolf packs."
"But encountering them isn't necessarily a bad thing."
While speaking, Bi Fang also took a rope coiled around his waist and licked his dry lips, then said to the camera, "The simplest way to find water, of course, is still to ask the locals, just like I tracked the wild Baizhi ox in the rainforest to find salt licks."
"Most mammals drink water regularly, and herbivorous animals usually don't stray far from water sources—like the animals in Kenya that migrate thousands of kilometers to avoid the dry season—because they need to drink morning and evening, they can't live without water."
"Therefore, paying attention to animal tracks can lead you to water; following herbivorous animals downhill can work."
"For carnivorous animals, drinking once can last them a long time, and they can obtain water when preying on other animals. So, seeing carnivorous animals doesn't necessarily mean there's a water source nearby, which is something to be cautious about."
Bi Fang explained as he looked around and casually started digging a hole in the ground.
The loam was too dry and hard, so Bi Fang used his knife to pry it, lifting up a slab of hard soil, which quickly crumbled into granular form when squeezed.
With the help of tools, the hole quickly expanded.
"Additionally, grain-eating birds like sparrows and pigeons also don't stray far from water sources; they drink morning and evening."
"When they fly low and straight, they are definitely seeking water."
"After drinking their fill, they will rest there, flying from one tree to another, frequently resting. Paying close attention to their flight direction might lead you to water."
"Of course, water birds can fly long distances for a long time without stopping for food or drink, and their appearance doesn't necessarily indicate there is water nearby,"
"Falcons, eagles, and other carnivorous birds get their water from their prey, so they also can't be used as indicators of water."
"They are not indicators of water sources."
"Reptiles can also sip dew and get water from small creatures they capture, thus they can survive for a long time without water."
"Insects are the best indicators of water. Especially bees, which usually do not stray more than fifty meters from their hive or nest, but their drinking patterns are irregular."
"Ants also can't live without water, and a line of ants marching towards a tree is likely heading for an underground reservoir."
"This kind of water storage can even be found in barren lands."
"Most insects fly incessantly within a ninety-meter radius of a water source, especially those European mason bees that show off their shiny green bodies while flying."
"Therefore, whether you can quickly find water by following a certain creature depends on your own judgment and knowledge of the species."
"If you follow the wrong target, you might not find water for two or three days. You won't last that long without water. After two days without a drink, you would start to feel weak and would struggle to respond to danger."
[It's all in the details]
[From the world's top wilderness survival expert]
[Take note, take note]
[By the way, Master Fang, what are you doing now? What's the point of digging this hole?]
[Is there groundwater here too?]
"I can tell you with certainty that there's absolutely no groundwater beneath this pit. It's incredibly dry. I'm digging just for fun."
Bi Fang cracked a joke as he dug a big hole.
The audience was successfully teased and threw up lots of question marks on the screen.
[Fun????]
[Are you serious, Old Fang?]
[Are you kidding me?]
"Isn't it fun? Look at those baboons over there; they're really curious."
Bi Fang pointed to the baboons in the trees far away.
Sure enough, upon seeing Bi Fang digging nearby, nearly all the baboons climbed to the top of the tree canopy, trying to see what Bi Fang was digging.
Curiosity is a natural trait for all creatures, especially among primates.
"Baboons always have a secret water source, but they won't share it with anyone, so we need to find ways to make them reveal it."
"On the African Savanna, baboons are fierce animals that aren't fussy about food. They can find food sources in almost any environment, including insects, grubs, spiders, and scorpions,"
"Some baboons even kill and consume the young of gazelles, tearing and eating these herbivores' offspring and even stealing food from the mouths of cheetahs, not discriminating between meat and vegetation."
[Cheetah: So every cub thinks they can steal from me, huh?]
[Done for, why does it feel like the cheetah is at the bottom of the food chain? (funny)]
"Yes, in the food chain, some male baboons are not afraid of cheetahs at all; they even dare to scare away adult cheetahs because baboons' main predators are leopards, which are fiercer and stronger than cheetahs. Baboons mainly move on land but also climb trees to sleep or forage, while leopards, being swift and good climbers, can hunt monkeys and birds in the trees, making it hard for baboons to escape their pursuit."
"Although cheetahs can also climb trees, their combat abilities up there are not as good as leopards', and they are easily bullied."
"However, precisely because baboons are omnivorous like carnivores, they are not very dependent on water sources, but they have a good trait - they are especially easy to track."
"Compared to birds and herbivores, once baboons start searching for water, we can easily follow them to address urgent needs."
"Among herbivores, gazelles and similar animals run too fast and are too timid. When following them, you need to make sure not to be noticed."
"Wildebeests and such are too dangerous."
"Birds fly too fast and only give a direction, making the cost of a wrong judgment too high."
"Like the wild Baizhi ox, which lives solo and moves slowly with low aggression, those creatures aren't easy to encounter."
"So while all these methods are feasible, they lack convenience compared to the others, making baboons an excellent choice."
"They run slowly, and their individual strength is limited. Although they live in groups, as long as you don't encroach on their territory, you can manage to isolate a single individual, ensuring safety."
"That's why Bi Fang initially thought that encountering this troop of baboons was a good thing."
"The most crucial thing is, compared to finding water-bearing plants or other various methods, tracking animals is the easiest skill for Cheetah Harley to understand."
"If you are thirsty and don't know where the water is, just follow the baboon."
"This point would later be deeply engraved in its mind."
Bi Fang's action of digging the hole was to arouse the baboons' curiosity and isolate one from the group.
Pretending to dig around for a while, Bi Fang found some plant seeds nearby, and finally pretended to pull them out of the pit, stuffing them into his pocket before leaving.
"Actually, this method was invented by the indigenous Makala people of Africa; they often need to find water sources while hunting and use baboons to help them, which is almost always successful."
As soon as Bi Fang disappeared, a few baboons immediately ran down from the tree toward the pit, only to find nothing.
"Remember, every move we make must be visible to the baboons. Next, we'll simply make a trap."
After walking dozens of meters, Bi Fang arrived in front of a towering mound, searching around, he quickly found a small hole.
"Africa is full of burrowing creatures, and on these mounds, we can find these holes, possibly abandoned, which are natural traps."
Bi Fang looked around and seeing some baboons following him not far behind knew his plan had worked, knowing that their curiosity was unbearable at this moment.
"These caves are usually quite hard, with narrow passages, making them a natural cage."
He stuffed the plant seeds he had picked up into the hole casually and then turned and left without fuss, quickly disappearing from the baboons' view.
Baboons don't trust humans, but they were dying to know what was inside the hole.