Gelada: a monkey with a spectacular appearance (7 photos + 1 video)

Gelada is a monkey distinguished by its unusual appearance. Despite the fact that they look like baboons, these monkeys have a calmer disposition. In addition, they spend most of their lives on the ground.





High, high in the mountains of hot Ethiopia there is a place called the Simen Mountains. There, on the plateau of these mountains, near the scorching Sun, there live creatures with a bleeding heart and a lion's mane. Their voice is similar to a human one, but woe to anyone who decides to approach them without fear because of this. Meet the gelada, one of Africa's most epic monkeys!

Their closest relatives are baboons. Geladas were identified as a separate species due to a whole bunch of unique features. The most obvious feature is the “bleeding heart”. In fact, it is not a heart at all, but a bald area of ​​the chest. In its normal state it is pale pink. But alpha males and females who are ready for romance have skin that turns red and scalded!



The second feature is diet. Despite their fearsome appearance, geladas are almost entirely herbivorous monkeys. They feed on fruits, seeds and plant stems. But in dry times they eat tubers, flowers and rhizomes. Geladas eat insects only if they are easy to catch - they will not specifically chase after a tasty treat. But male geladas don’t mind running after girls.





There are only 2 options for the plot when the Geladas decide to form their first group. Either the male acquires a harem, or bros. There is no third. Moreover, a crowd of bros periodically raid harems in order to remove the father of the family from his post. Subsequently, the strongest bachelor becomes the head of someone else’s family and protects it as if it were his own.



Sometimes two families join forces against strangers or predators. Such a group can consist of 60 individuals! It turns out something like a primitive tribe: each family cares only for members of its pack, but in case of danger, the geladas defend themselves all together. To understand each other in such a crowd, the Geladas developed complex verbal and sound systems. Monkeys use vocal signals, postures, gestures, facial expressions, and even change their tone during conversation, just like people do!



And there is something to defend against. Geladas are very large monkeys, the weight of males reaches 15-20 kg. But you can’t crush a competitor with dimensions alone. The males' fangs are as long and thick as the index finger. Not every predator has these!



If the main male in the group is replaced by a new, stronger, hairier and red-breasted one, the hormonal levels of all pregnant females change. And so sharply that it leads to miscarriage. This phenomenon is called the Bruce effect. Because otherwise the future baby will be killed by the new head of the pack. Male geladas do not nurse or protect other people's children. But alpha lovers are passionate. A couple, when secluded, can try to make love to the children up to 5 times a day.



But male geladas are ready to babysit their babies. But only up to six months.

Pregnancy in females lasts up to 6 months. For the first six months after birth, the cubs hold on to the fur on their mother’s belly. The unique structure of the gelada's breasts allows monkeys to drink milk from two nipples at once. And if the group is large, the monkey children gather in something resembling a kindergarten, where the young animals play, frolic and indulge together. Young animals remain babies for a long time - 5 years. But then the males go looking for a new family, and the females go looking for a suitor.