The Memoirs of a Primate, written by Robert Sapolsky, documents the author's time in Kenya while studying the various behaviors of a troop of baboons. One of the key aspects of the book was the social rank that developed within the troop. Female baboons have a fairly defined and dry social hierarchy. The oldest baboons in the group are considered the highest-ranking females, and as the baboons become younger, they follow the dominance sequence. The ranking for males essentially went from the strongest baboons to the weakest baboons. The baboon at the top of the social hierarchy was considered the alpha male. This social rank has huge implications for the group in which baboons mated with each other. If another baboon wanted to become the alpha male, then he would have to challenge the current alpha male to fight and win. The distinct personality of the baboon mixed with their instincts are the main factors in how they arrive at the social hierarchy. Another key aspect of the book was the strategies implemented when baboons wanted to mate with another baboon. Similar to humans, male baboons tried to impress female baboons in a way that would make them want to mate. The male's rank is considered one of the biggest contributing factors in choosing which mate they end up with, because there is nothing more impressive than becoming a high-ranking baboon. Additionally, there have been cases of lower-ranking baboons strategizing and forming teams with other baboons to become a higher-ranking baboon for mating chances. The baboons in the group are considered a mosaic of different troops, as it is normal for a baboon to frequently move between different groups. Each baboon in the troop has a specific place... in the center of the card... ...if they couldn't defend themselves, it was likely that they would have moved on to another troop. The similarities between baboons and humans are also striking. From the way they choose the most dominant person in their troop for males, to the way they choose the highest ranking female. Furthermore, the way baboons try to find a mate is very similar to that of humans. Human beings, by nature, try to make themselves as attractive as possible to make themselves more desirable to mates. Like baboons, humans don't just let men go out and find a mate, as women also do the same. All in all, Robert Sapolsky painted a very clear picture of how baboons live, interact, mate with each other, and become dominant figures in his book, A Primate's Memoir.Works CitedSapolsky, Robert M. A Primate's Memoir. New York: Scribner, 2001. Print.