Individual differences in task participation in wild chacma baboons

Despite the controlled testing conditions that are typical of captive environments, many evaluations animal cognition fail to ensure all tested individuals participate. This is even more evident under wild conditions, as animals not restricted in their movement or social interactions and have other activities available. In this study, we aimed understand variation cognitive task participation chacma baboons, Papio ursinus. We quantified individual differences latency likelihood approach explore two types stimuli for tests: a set coloured paper bags (in an associative learning test) blue cardboard square second-order conditioning test). evaluated whether each was predicted by individuals’ phenotypic traits/states, well additional aspects behaviour: (1) availability competing at time (2) propensity exploit information. found consistent results both regarding effect age: juveniles were likely contact them longer. Similarly, tasks, involved activity less had lower exploration time. Finally, females with high use information (i.e. scrounge) likely, shorter latencies, bags. Our findings only highlight potential bias studies conducted can have, but also some attributes external factors determine participation.