Behavior Sequence: Gelada Baboons Of The Simien Mountains Species Stock Video Footage

The Simien mountains are an amazing location in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. Set in high altitudes around 3500m, you can have breathtaking views on the surrounding mountains from steep cliffs.

This is the home of big herds of Gelada baboons, who have bright red patches on their chests, why they go also under the name of “bleeding heart monkeys”. Geladas are the only primates that are primarily grazers and live in a complex multilevel society. At night they sleep on the ledges of the cliff, and at sunrise they travel to the tops of the plateaux to feed and socialize.

They are not shy, so I’ve been able to film them hand-held at close range and also walking in between with a hand-held gimbal without bothering them at all. It feels very intimate, when you can watch these animals grooming passionately or the kids playing and performing daring backflips at the edge of the cliff. They got used to my presence very quickly and I could get very close to them, so close that their fleas thought they could taste some different blood now.

Enjoy these wonderful creatures!

Cinematography by Carl Finkbeiner