The local baboons proved to be a great source of information to them about where food and water could be found. The translocated groups watched and followed them keenly. Within six weeks, indigenous males joined the translocated troops. They were an even better source of intelligence about the area. In addition, the translocated animals learned by trial and error, sometimes in what seemed like a comedy routine.
Local baboons eat scorpions by deftly biting off the stinger and chewing the rest.
The naive newcomers were first surprised by the scorpions lurking under the rocks, then intrigued, then mystified as one by one a long lineup of youngsters and adults tried to figure out how to pick one up without getting stung. It was quite some time before scorpions became food for these baboons. Other things also took time to learn. The topography of the area meant that some portions of the range had good food in the wet seasons and other portions had good food in the dry seasons. To feed efficiently, the baboons had to learn this difference and to switch their ranging seasonally.