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Gelada
Theropithecus gelada
- An extinct relative of the gelada once roamed all over Africa and was the size of a gorilla!
- Commonly thought of as part of the baboon family, it is in fact a member of its own genus 鈥� Theropithecus and the only member of it.
- The red patches that advertise sexual signals have evolved to be on the chest of the gelada rather than the backside, an evolutionary adaptation because they spend so much of their time sat down feeding.
- Geladas are vegetarian and feed almost exclusively on grass. Due to their poor quality diet, they need to eat almost a quarter of their body weight every day.
- Geladas live in one of the largest troops of any primate where herds can reach up to 1000 individuals.
Clips
Web exclusive: Cheeky monkeys
Watch what the young geladas of Ethiopia got up to with the crew's mini cameras.
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