Gelada Monkey King Faces A Brutal Fight To Keep His Throne | King of the Mountains

These aren't really baboons, though they have a lot in common with their close cousins. They're geladas, a unique family of ground-dwelling primates that are only found here in the Ethiopian highlands. Herds contain several breeding units, each with related females and up to four males, but only one is dominant. Braveheart is the undisputed king of this group, at least for the moment. In the 20 kgs, with an impressive mane and five centimeter canines, there's no question who's boss. Or is there? Braveheart has a harem of six females with whom he enjoys exclusive mating rights. He may look fearsome, but he's not totally in charge. Sisterhood is all-powerful. They decide who stays and, more importantly, they choose who takes the throne and for how long. Flo is Braveheart's queen. He rules at her pleasure. And Flo has formidable support. Her sisters, Tia and Ruva, they are next in the family hierarchy. Males come and go, but the females stay, maintaining family power. This sisterhood is tight-knit. They chose Braveheart as king and they will decide when his time is up. A five-year reign is a long one and Braveheart's been at it for four. For now, it's a day like any other day and Braveheart's position seems secure. His work day begins at sunrise. The families spent the night on these cliffs to stay out of reach of hyenas and leopards. Before their morning grooming can take place, Braveheart must ensure everyone ascends safely and sentries are posted. Now it's time for morning ablutions. For geladas, grooming is about a lot more than removing ticks. It's a form of social bonding between all members of the family. Braveheart's oldest kids are three now and are still a firm part of the family unit. Grooming is critical to Braveheart's work day too. It's when Flo demands his undivided attention. All this doting is just the beginning. As the head of the household, he's expected to sire Twelve little geladas and counting. The most recent addition, Lomu, is five months old. But the larger the family, the harder it is for Braveheart to keep up his fatherly obligations. Now he faces a problem of his own making. The gelada's peak breeding season is two months away in the middle of winter. When the females go into oestrus, the harem either extends the king's contract or they hire someone else. It's all about Braveheart's performance in the lead-up. If he slacks off, he'll be replaced. His position on the throne is tenuous. After he's completed his job of grooming, it's time to eat. That means ascending further to the plateau. A flat grassy expanse high on the mountaintops. Families join together until they form a herd 400 strong. They're here for the grass, but not just any grass. The gelada's favorite only grows at this altitude. This single food source is 90% of their diet, but it's hard work getting enough. Their heads are down for hours, leaving them vulnerable to attack. Sentries are in place and Braveheart's senses are on high alert. The red hourglass-shaped patch of skin on his chest advertises his breeding status. It'll change color with the fluctuations of hormones. Soon the females' chest patches will brighten and blister. That means they're ready to mate. Braveheart's days to impress are numbered. After a morning of plucking grass, Flo and her family need to quench their thirst. It's Braveheart's job to go ahead and check the coast is clear. The stream is also the source of a gelada delicacy. Aquatic weed is a tastier option than grass and is loaded with important nutrients. Handfuls of the slimy goodness are scooped out. They're completely preoccupied. Braveheart needs to eat too, but suddenly hunger is the least of his problems. A bearded vulture. It's mainly a scavenger, but it will take a baby gelada. Engrossed in their grazing, the geladas still aren't aware that danger is hovering just above them. They depend on Braveheart to keep them safe. Meet a wingspan can't lift an adult. It's the babies that must be protected. Braveheart's response is under scrutiny. Losing one of his offspring to a predator could jeopardize his position on the throne. The raptors lost the element of surprise, and he goes in search of easier prey. Braveheart didn't fail in this instance, but bigger problems loom on the horizon. Bachelors. They're the biggest threat to Braveheart's rule. Not every male gets to be a king. Bachelors are outcasts, unwelcome in the herd. Gelada males leave their family units when they reach puberty at age five and group together to form a gang. When they sense a female in estrus, these virile males have just one thing in mind. Take the throne and win a harem of their own. Braveheart's females are in their sights, and he knows it. One male sits at the top of the gang hierarchy. Tico. At nine years old, he's ready to be king. All he needs is an opportunity. A sign Braveheart is not pulling his weight. With Tico and Braveheart, there's history. They're brothers. From a young age, they played tough. Being older, Braveheart usually came out on top. When they formed a gang, he was the dominant bachelor. But when Braveheart became king, the brothers fell out. Last breeding season, Tico attempted a coup. But experience and strength weren't on his side. One year later, things could be different. Every bachelor in the gang has a stake in Tico's efforts. If he becomes king, each will move up a rung in the gang hierarchy. A rising tide lifts all boats. Meanwhile, life is good for Braveheart's family. It's the end of the rainy season, and they have to eat as much as possible before the grass disappears in winter. While the parents focus on food, the young have better things to do. The steep stream bank makes a good gelada jungle gym. Play fighting from a young age is crucial to gelada development. It builds strength and coordination. But underneath the play fighting, there's a much more important goal. All young males aspire to be king. They have a life of fighting ahead of them, and the sooner they start, the better. Lomu is getting bigger and more adventurous, exploring further from his mother. It's a big part of Braveheart's job description to watch over his offspring. But this is the 12th one, and fatherhood is taking its toll. At 12 years old, he's an elderly gelada indeed. The average lifespan is 14. No wonder he's napping at his post. It's a lapse that doesn't go unnoticed. Tico is watching from the wings, reminding the king of his precarious position, and letting Flo and the others know he's available. Lomu is also at risk. If Tico takes the throne, he'll erase Braveheart's genetic legacy. He will kill Lomu and all his siblings. March in Ethiopia's Simian Mountains. The dry season is here, and the green grass of the plateau is fast turning to dust. Pickings are slim. For Flo and her family, this measly handful of roots will have to do. They're a lot of work, but nutritious. Flo's sisters, Ruva and Tia, pull their weight for the family. Braveheart should be here too, but he's nowhere to be seen. The king's taking time out from the family foraging. Flo is not impressed. All she cares about is whether he's pulling his weight, leading the search for food, and displaying his dominance in front of the bachelors. But recently, he seems almost disinterested. An attitude that could easily get this king toppled from his throne. By April, the dry season is taking its toll. Hunger, heat, and hormones are a recipe for tension in the herd. Families compete for scarce resources, and without Braveheart on guard, Flo's family is vulnerable to attack from other stressed geladas. If there's one thing that really annoys the females, it's other unrelated females. And this outsider encroaches on Flo's patch of grass. The sisters rally, not their point across. But they shouldn't have had to. It's Braveheart's job to intervene in family feuds and protect his females. But once again, he's let Flo down, and she lets him know it. The ultimate punishment, though, is to replace him. Everything is shaping up just as Tico hoped. If Braveheart doesn't step up to the plate, he'll lose it all. Day after day, the bachelors have watched him advertise his inadequacies and edge closer to rejection by the harem. Has time finally caught up with the gelada king? It's one day closer to peak breeding season. After four years as king, Braveheart is running out of time to prove he's still got what it takes. His family goes about their usual routine, but the harem is restless. Flo's paying more attention to the bachelors on the perimeter, and Braveheart is once again lying down on the job. Tico sees his chance. Flo's sisters know this is a crucial moment. The queen will either reject Tico's advances, or she'll accept them. And Braveheart is none the wiser. Lomu's watch the act unfold. The shrieking rouses Braveheart. Cheating among gelada females is not uncommon, especially if their king isn't paying them enough attention. But it's best to keep it discreet. They're caught in the act. A flash of his canines reminds his younger brother who's boss. Braveheart forces Tico backwards, a sign of dominance, and taunts him into a chase. Braveheart stamps his ground. Braveheart's sudden show of pride is impressive. The harem isn't convinced. They don't rally to defend their king. Tico backs off, but this pushes Braveheart into full attack mode. Tico backs off. Luckily for Braveheart, Flo's not in oestrus yet, and would not have conceived in the tryst. His bloodline is safe, for now. Braveheart's had a major wake-up call. Flo has shown him just how tenuous his rule is. He must regain the harem's respect, and Flo is priority one. Impress her, and he wins them all back. Suddenly, he's attentive, settling disputes by separating squabbling females. He's even spending quality time with Lomu. In a matter of days, the sisters' breeding patches have developed blisters, a sign they're ready to mate. Flo must make her decision. Will she give Braveheart another chance, or will she choose a new king to father her offspring? At dusk, the herd retraces its steps to the safety of the cliffs. Braveheart is on high alert, but the bachelors are keeping their distance since the brawl. At last light, Braveheart's family finds its roosting position on the ledges. Gelada night vision is poor, and they feel vulnerable. This is the moment the bachelors have been waiting for. They move closer to intimidate him. Braveheart can't fight them all. They force him further down the cliffs. Down here, he can't defend Lomu or watch that his females don't stray. Tico makes his intentions clear. The females draw their young in close. Sleepless night. Braveheart hasn't slept a wink. He's climbed the cliff to find the sentries at their posts and everything quiet. He checks to make sure his family is safe, and runs them up for their journey up the cliffs. Tico and the bachelors are nowhere to be seen. It's business as usual, but Braveheart cannot drop his guard. Today could be the day that everything changes. On their commute to the plateau, Braveheart lets his family go ahead while he watches their backs. His diligent security measures mean he starts to lag behind until he's alone. Suddenly, he's got company. The bachelors. It's four against one. Retreat is the only option. Braveheart's almost cornered in the trees. He must keep moving. He gets a moment's rest, then makes a break for it. He runs for open ground and right into the trap. Tico is there waiting for him. Oh, it's brother against brother. This could be the end of one reign and the beginning of another. Delivers a bite to the face. The fight's over just as quickly as he began. On retreat, Tico searches for the other bachelors. He's badly injured. His older brother has left him with a terrible scar, and he's lost a canine, the mark of manhood. Tico's job is to now prove to his gang he's still a capable leader. Against all odds, Braveheart has clawed his way back onto the throne one more time. With flow and loneliness, he's proved he's a valuable mate and won back his harem's respect. Braveheart may be one of the few Jelada kings to see their reign all the way to the end. Now, at least, this mountain throne is his.