There's an uneasy truce at the Toronto Zoo after a baboon war that lasted for nearly a year. Some people have compared it to the television series 'Game of Thrones' and it's been almost as brutal.
Baboon troops, both at zoos and in the wild, are dominated by females and that dominance runs through family lines.
This particular war began almost a year ago, when the matriarch of the baboon enclosure, Betty, died. But her oldest daughter, Molly, was only six years old and not fully mature. That's when another female Baboon, 18-year-old Putsie, made a play for the throne.
A vicious battle erupted that went on for months. That led to a brief closure of the exhibit and medical records show numerous injuries among five of the six olive baboons. At least two required surgery. Molly was attacked eight times over three months.
"They can be very vicious animals in the wild and these sorts of wounds are not really unexpected. These things are not unusual and not caused by captivity. These are things the animals do in nature," said Colin Chapman, a professor of anthropology at McGill University.
Chapman praises the zoo staff for not intervening and allowing nature to take its course and to not interrupt this game of thrones.
It's not clear who attacked who because most the assaults took place at night. But zoo veterinarians say the baboons are extremely tough and heal quickly. Since then, staff have modified the enclosure adding outdoor heaters and shelters and more escape routes.
For now the war seems to be over, with Molly and Putsie sharing the throne, in what seems to be an uncomfortable truce, with the rightful heir, Molly, appearing to bide her time until the older one dies.
