Baboons

Tuesday, July 21, 2026

Al-Baha - Dr. Abdulaziz bin Ghazi Al-Ghamdi:

During my summer vacation, I usually go to our farm in our village in the Al-Baha region. I stood on the balcony contemplating the trees and the quietness of the place, but I was surprised to find a large number of baboons residing in the farm as uninvited guests without permission. Some of them were moving between the trees, others were eating the tree fruits, while some were engaged in bold play, breaking the branches. I tried to scare them away by shouting and throwing stones, but most of them paid me little attention, as if I were an intruder in their kingdom.

While I was watching this scene, a question popped into my mind: What if one of these baboons were given the opportunity to speak? What if he decided to explain, from his perspective, how he got here? Why his presence near humans has increased? And how he views this relationship that we consider a problem? Therefore, I decided to give one of the baboons the opportunity to tell the story himself, and I asked them who would represent them in the dialogue. After fierce discussions and competition among them, the alpha baboon stepped forward announcing that he was the official spokesman, then adjusted his seating, dropped the fruits of my farm from his hand, and said: "I am not a professional spokesman and I do not hold a degree in ecology, but my field experience in the Al-Baha, Asir, and Taif regions qualifies me to talk to you, perhaps even more scientifically than you expect." So I asked him, "Then what is the reason for your sudden visit, why my farm, and what is this destruction?"

He said, "Destruction, what destruction? We found the trees heavy with fruit, so we considered that a welcome from you, and we did not want to return your hospitality with coldness. So I assigned members of my clan to taste the fruit to ensure its quality, and I made another team inspect the trees and branches for you and make some improvements to them."

I said to him, "And do you call this tampering improvements?! Leave this nonsense and tell me what brought you and your clan here?" He replied, "In the beginning, my generous host, we lived according to simple rules: we searched, moved, adventured, and then ate. But over time, we noticed a remarkable change; food became readily available, aromas guided us to it easily, and some of you—in your generosity—offered it to us directly. Here, according to the principles of behavioral adaptation, it made no logical sense to refuse this 'upgrade'."

"So thank you... you have made life much easier. Frankly, we have never been this adventurous before. But we quickly learned from your behavior toward us: whenever we approach you, we get food; if we try again, we get more. Over time, it was no longer just an experiment... it became a daily habit for us, a collective skill, and even inherited knowledge among us. You could say that you unintentionally trained us."

Here I asked him, "Weren't the mountains your environment? Why did you enter ours?" He replied, "We admit that the mountains are beautiful, but they are exhausting. However, the situation with you is different: easy-to-cross roads, diverse food sources, and even nearby hiding places. Because we possess environmental intelligence, your environment was an ideal choice for us. Therefore, we did not invade your environment; you invited us, and we found your areas better than our mountains—who would leave such bounty?!" I asked him, "What is your explanation for your large numbers?" He smiled and said, "I noticed our numbers increasing; let me explain that scientifically: there has become an abundance of food, a relative feeling of safety, and we exert less effort, so the result is that we devoted ourselves to reproduction. Therefore, there is no secret to our increase; it is simply efficient ecological laws at work. But as you know, our dear host, lately we have begun to notice something different: finding food is no longer as easy as it used to be. Containers are now closed, and there are attempts to keep us away. After research and investigation, we learned that the National Center for Wildlife Development is working to reorganize ecological relations for natural balance among creatures, as you call it. But from our perspective, it seems you have begun implementing the rules of ecological balance. You say we are a 'problem', but from our experience, we simply responded to what you provided us; you are the ones who changed the rules of ecological balance, not us. Finally, I would like to say thank you for your hospitality. It has been a valuable experience."

"However, it seems that time has come to make adjustments to the system, at least for you. My dear host, I hope you realize that what is between us is not a conflict, but an unbalanced relationship that needs resetting. Within the framework of Saudi Vision 2030, it seems you have already begun to grasp the lesson." I answered him, "Yes, baboon, because nature is not governed by emotion alone, but by science, understanding, and the laws of ecological balance. Perhaps we all need to return to that balance, which was disrupted when each of us got too close to the other's world. Despite that, I reassure you that if I ever decide to visit you in your natural habitat among the mountains and forests, I will carry some fruit with me and offer it as a gift to you and your clan. As for my farm, which you have turned into an open arena for banquets and family gatherings, I hope you will spare it from your sudden visits." The baboon smiled and shook his head with a dignity not devoid of cunning, saying, "May God honor and reward you, our host," and promising, "We promise you that we will do our utmost to return to our natural habitats whenever means of livelihood are available to us. Some relatives have grown accustomed to high-class hospitality services in your farms, and convincing them to return may not be an easy task." I told him, "Simple, remind them of what you say: 'Woe to anyone from me, and woe to me from two.'"

Here I realized that the baboon is not just a smart animal, but an unwelcome guest endowed with limitless confidence, fully believing that the farm and everything in it was created to serve and entertain him and his clan!

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