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Baboon parliament

As dusk creeps up the flanks of Mount Suswa a troop of baboons gathers for the night. Most baboons roost in the treetops to avoid night prowling leopards or lions, but these baboons are heading downwards to an underground chamber in the rocks. Known locally as the baboon's parliament, the walls of the chamber have been worn glassy-smooth by the hands and feet of generations of baboons. Rock climbing in the dark on polished holds could be considered a hazardous sport, but presumably these baboons find it less scary than sleeping outside with the leopards. The baboons’ final destination is a series of small ledges high up on the cave wall. Safe beyond the reach of predators, and protected by a roof of solid rock, the cave dormitory stays warm and dry even at the height of the rainy season.

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2 minutes

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