Data from: Thermal imaging demonstrates physiological responses to grooming interactions and audience effects in wild baboons
Data files
Oct 04, 2025 version files 149.25 KB
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Jao_et_al_data_analyses.R
12.65 KB
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Jao_thermal_data.txt
132.10 KB
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README.md
4.50 KB
Abstract
This dataset comprises 1,583 thermal observations of wild chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) in Namibia, collected during grooming, foraging, and resting behaviours. Observations include metadata on date, troop, environmental temperature, individual identity, behavioural context, audience composition, number of repeated images in a session under the same condition, and nasal temperature measurements extracted from infrared thermal images. Data were collected under natural conditions and processed using ThermoView Pro software, with images manually annotated for quality. Of the 1,626 original images captured, 43 were excluded due to environmental confounds (e.g., direct sun, wind) or data scarcity based on age group (e.g., infants). The dataset is structured at the session-observation level and includes repeated measures across individuals. It supports research on social physiology, emotional proxies in animals, audience effects, and the application of non-invasive thermal imaging in behavioural ecology. Ethical approval and research permit were obtained from the UK and Namibian authorities, and all data were collected via non-invasive methods. The dataset offers strong reuse potential for studies of primate behaviour, physiology, and socioecological dynamics in wild populations.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.r2280gbrc
Description of the data and file structure
This dataset includes 1,583 observations of wild chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) collected using infrared thermal imaging between May and July 2023 at Tsaobis Nature Park, Namibia. The dataset accompanies the manuscript: "Thermal imaging demonstrates physiological responses to grooming interactions and audience effects in wild baboons" (Jao et al., 2024).
A total of 1,626 thermal images were originally collected. Of those, 43 images were excluded due to environmental confounds (e.g., direct sun, wind) or data scarcity based on age group (e.g., infants). The remaining 1,583 observations comprise the cleaned and analysis-ready dataset.
Each row corresponds to one observation and includes contextual metadata such as date, troop, environmental temperature, focal activity, grooming role, partner identity, audience composition, number of repeated images in a session under the same condition, and infrared nasal temperature measurements extracted from thermal images.
Data collection
Each entry represents a unique image. Images were captured using an RS PRO Thermal Imaging Camera, and nasal temperatures were extracted manually using ThermoView Pro software. Observations were conducted in shaded conditions whenever possible and were discarded if strong wind or direct sun exposure was present.
Files and description
File: Jao_et_al_data_analyses.R
Description: R code used to analyse the thermal imaging data in line with the study's aims.
File: Jao_thermal_data.txt
Description: Data used in the publication.
Variables
- Individual: A code for the individual whose image was taken
- Troop: The troop to which the baboon belonged (two levels: J, L)
- Instance: The grouping variable for multiple images that were taken of one individual (referred to as 'Session' in the paper)
- Env_Temp: The ambient temperature in degrees Celsius at the time the image was taken
- Activity1: General activity state (three levels: Rest, Forage, Groom)
- Activity3: Activity state specifying grooming given or received as separate states (four levels: Rest, Forage, Groom_giver, Groom_receiver)
- Position: Where Activity1 is Grooming, this variable specifies whether they were the giver or receiver (two levels: Giver, Receiver; non-grooming denoted by NA)
- Partner: A code for the partner of the groomer, where Activity1 is Grooming (non-grooming denoted by NA)
- Repeat: A value for the count of images taken in one instance.
- Nose_Temp: The temperature in degrees Celsius for the region of interest for each image.
- Sex: the sex of the Individual (F = female, M = male)
- Age_Group: The age class of the individual (three levels: Juvenile, Subadult, Adult)
- Rel_rank: The relative rank of the Individual standardised between 0 (lowest rank) and 1 (highest rank)
- Audience_Num: The count of the number of individuals in the audience of the Individual photographed (within 5 m)
- Max_Audience_Rank: The relative rank (ranging from 0 to 1) of the highest-ranking individual in the audience. NA if audience is 0.
- Audience_Bond: The average of the bond to the individuals in the audience. 0 if there is no audience.
Methods summary:
- Study site: Tsaobis Nature Park, Namibia.
- Equipment: RS PRO Thermal Imaging Camera (384—288 px), emissivity set at 0.95.
- Nasal temperature extraction: Manual delineation of nasal area using ThermoView Pro software.
- Conditions: Only shaded, low-wind conditions used for imaging; sessions with poor lighting or disrupted behaviour were excluded.
- Social and rank data: Merged from long-term project records and ad libitum observations.
- Behavioural definitions: Grooming: Fur manipulation. Foraging: Searching for and consuming food. Resting: Inactive but alert (eyes open).
- Audience data: Count of individuals within 5 m of focal subject.
Reuse potential:
This dataset can be used for:
- Comparative studies on thermal physiology and behaviour.
- Analyses of emotion proxies in non-human primates.
- Investigating audience effects and social context in wild animal behaviour.
- Validation of thermal imaging as a tool in field ecology and animal welfare studies.
Code/software
Data are analysed in R and the code is included.