Did you expect so much from the baboon?

Video from a camera on a game farm in rural Mbombela, Mpumalanga, South Africa

Since the 16th century, primate comparative anatomy is a field of research that has profoundly interested scientists, particularly due to its implications to the knowledge of the origin, evolution, biology, and/or anatomy of our own species, Homo sapiens. Starting with comparative studies between humans and chimpanzees and/or gorillas, the researchers extended the analyses to others primates. South Africa and its different primate species (i.e., baboon and vervet monkey) is the ideal place to study comparative human anatomy.

The availability of human osteological collections stored at different South African Universities are invaluable. In our context, we particularly use the skeletal material from the Department of Anatomy of the University of Pretoria, the Department of Anatomy and Histology of the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University in Pretoria and the Division of Clinical Anatomy in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the Stellenbosch University. Another important tool is the development of non-invasive analytical tools such as microCT scanning and 3D imaging techniques, allowing the development of important and substantial comparative anatomical studies.

We are currently conducting a comprehensive comparative project, which aims to provide further information of the motion and mechanical aspect of the human hip and knee. More specifically, it includes a detailed study of baboon behaviour, a comparative analysis of the muscles environment of the hip and knee joints and an assessment of the bony outer and inner morphological variations of the femur and knee cap between humans and baboons.

Anatomical comparison of human and baboon bones via Micro-CT. Image designed and owned by Dr Marine Cazenave.

This project has medical, anatomical and surgical implications as well as an impact in the study of human evolution to better understand the origin and the evolution of bipedalism (i.e., the condition of being walking on two legs) in the human lineages. While often considered as a pest, the chacma baboon now plays an important role in the research field. Human versus baboon is not always seen as a competition and conflict. Did you expect so much from the baboon?

#baboon #patella #femur #skeleton #microCT #bipedalism

Dr. Marine Cazenave

Research Assistant, Junior Project Coordinator,

Bakeng se Afrika Department of Anatomy and Histology  Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University