It is interesting to watch young baboons act out gender roles. The juvenile males rough and tumble and play fight while the young females practise an infant-protective role in their play.
He’s intent on finding a pebble.
Big sister is being protective.
Holding baby close.
Nature on the Edge 
They are so precious!
When I read the title to this post, I wondered if you were in a protective role – trying to halt the damage to our planet. Your photos bring attention to that vanishing world. Thank you!
He looks really wide eyed and inquisitive!
Yes! I think so – we can believe beyond anthropomorphisms 😊
The cuddle photo is delightful!
Adorable images, Liz. 🙂
Thanks Jane.
How very sweet Liz! Makes on wonder how much is learned and how much is pre-programmed, don’t you think?
That’s a question i’d love to pose to a primatologist. I’m guessing that it could be a bit of both. There appears to be an innate ‘knowledge’. It’s interesting to observe the way the gender roles appear to be so ‘entrenched’.
I think you hit it with ‘innate’.
The level of protection and sibling love amazes me. I’ve watched so many documentaries on animals and I can’t help but think how similar we are. The closest I’ve got to such an experience (other than monkeys and kittens) was in a national park. There was no mistaking the elephant’s (mother) loud trumpet. I thought it was a tiger. She made sure we were warned and would want to consider our next step!
Love is running in the family.. 🙂