Baboon nest raider! (Rare behaviour)

[Marc Mol]

Baboon nest raider on Southern Carmine Bee-eater colony.
On the Luangwa River, Zambia at the nest photographic hide located
approx 15m parallel to the river bank.
We were met with the sight of a couple of Baboons trying to break
away the nesting holes in an attempt to get to the fledgling chicks.

This behavior is seldom seen and rarely photographed (to my knowledge).

Here shown one Baboon clutching a White Fronted Bee-eater chick in hand.
I was lucky enough to have this image published in the Dec/Jan edition of Africa Geographic.

Nikon D2Xs
300 f/2.8 VR
ISO 200
1/2000s
f/2.8
300mm

http://africaddict.smugmug.com/photos/236037579_SwRmh-L-2.jpg

C & C most welcome

Cheers
Marc

[Arthur Morris]

Totally amazing behavior well documented. A crop from the left would tighten it up and eliminate some of the white wash. Congrats on the publication.

[Kaushik Balakumar]

Have seen videos where the monitor lizards raid the nests. But this is first time am seeing Baboons do the same. Thanks for sharing this amazing moment.