Re: Body Hair Loss in Aquatic Mammals

Phil Nicholls (pnich@globalone.net)
Wed, 18 Oct 1995 03:54:40 GMT

hubey@pegasus.montclair.edu (H. M. Hubey) graced us with the following
words:

>pnich@globalone.net (Phil Nicholls) writes:

>>Baboons do not forage during the hottest parts of the day. Like most
>>animals they head for a waterhole or the shade. Protohominds used
>>erect posture to extend forging times.

>I've seen herds of cattle gather on top of hills around noon
>to take advantage of the breeze and to keep cool.

Only if there are no trees around. Baboons find shade and climb
trees to rest.

>It seems that baboons being smarter should have learned that
>by standing up on their hind legs they also could have
>kept cooler and extend their foraging times.

It does? Why? Let me get this straight. Based on your
understanding of evolution, this is what should have happened?

>Is bipedal locomotion much more expensive for baboons than
>chimps?

Baboons are much more specialized quadrupeds than chimps.

Phil Nicholls pnich@globalone.net
"To ask a question you must first know most of the answer"
-Robert Sheckley