Yellow baboon labor and parturition at the Tana River National Primate Reserve, Kenya

An observation of the birth of a feral yellow baboon ( Papio cynocephalus cynocephalus ) is reported. Over an approximate 45‐min period, the late stages of labor, parturition, cleaning of the infant, and consumption of the placenta were observed. The labor and parturition occurred in the late afternoon/early evening hours, and within 5 m of the observer. A review of the literature on feral births suggests that selection may have favored both the timing and the location of births. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.