Humans Might Not Be The Only Species Practice Democracy: Study Claims Baboons Do As Well!

It looks like humans might not be the only species in the animal kingdom that practice democracy as a way of decision making. A new study claims that olive baboons living in Kenya have demonstrated traits that are associated with the democratic decision-making process, Daily Mail reported.

Baboons in the wild live in groups with a strict hierarchy and social interactions between the individuals are regulated depending on their rank within the group. The highest ranking member of a group is a dominant male. However, the researchers of the new study says that when it comes to make decisions for the entire group, it is not just the dominant males who call the shots; rather the group makes its own decision as a whole, regardless of the dominant male's preference.

Researchers attached GPS trackers to a group of baboons when they were on the move and observed their behaviour. After making complex calculations and data analysis using computer technology which took years for researchers to finalize; they have come to a conclusion. They noticed that regardless of their rank in the group hierarchy, any individual could propose to change the direction that the group is headed for. Also the rest of the group was able to make an independent decision without the dominant individual dictating his own will on them, Daily Mail reported.

One of the researchers of the study Iain Couzin from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Germany said: "What's fascinating about baboons is that they do absolutely everything together and therefore always have to reach a compromise. The alpha animal did not therefore decide dictatorially, but the group instead makes democratic decisions."

Couzin also noted that he had predicted the existence of such behaviour in baboons over a decade ago and the results even exceeded his expectations about his hypothesis. "I am astonished that the predictions about an extremely complex community are so accurate. But it's wonderful how everything has fitted together and that the observations have confirmed our calculations," he the Daily Mail reported.