Question 1

How many infants die in their first year?

Claire · Accepted Answer

Data collected between 2016 - 2020 found that only 44% of Rooiels’ infant baboons made it to their first birthday. Infants made up 75% of all troop deaths, with most dying at around 4-5 months old after being hit by cars on the R44/Clarence Drive. In that time, eight out of ten adult females lost at least one infant. The Rooiels infant mortality rate of 56% is significantly higher than that of troops in more natural environments, where it ranges from 28-45%¹. However, since the study concluded, infant mortality appears to have declined, suggesting that this rate may fluctuate over time.

1 Mormile, J. 2024. An interdisciplinary study on the human-baboon interface in Rooiels, South Africa. PHD dissertation. University of Cape Town.

Question 2

How many infants die in their first year?

Claire · Accepted Answer

Data collected between 2016 - 2020 found that only 44% of Rooiels’ infant baboons made it to their first birthday. Infants made up 75% of all troop deaths, with most dying at around 4-5 months old after being hit by cars on the R44/Clarence Drive. In that time, eight out of ten adult females lost at least one infant. The Rooiels infant mortality rate of 56% is significantly higher than that of troops in more natural environments, where it ranges from 28-45%¹. However, since the study concluded, infant mortality appears to have declined, suggesting that this rate may fluctuate over time.