As the overturn of Roe v. Wade covers the news, we thought it would be important to reiterate just how common pregnancy terminations are in the animal kingdom. For us humans, the decision usually falls somewhere between health of the mother, morality of the father, and simple choice. But for other species, it's about longer-term survival. . Geladas, small baboons found in the grasslands of Ethiopia, are just one other species that abort their kin. The exact reasoning remains in question, but always coincides with a new alpha male coming to power. In fact, a whopping 80% of pregnant females abort their pregnancies once a new male comes to lead the group. This phenomenon, known as the Bruce effect, has been seen in other species, but seldom observed in the wild. . The motive behind the terminations is disputed but is likely connected with male gelada behavior. Male geladas, like other mammals, kill the young that aren't their own children. This murderous tendency leads many experts to believe that the mother geladas abort their unborn kin to save them from infanticide. Females could also abort their young in order to conserve their strength and energy (since the new male will kill the newborn anyways). . ---------- Politics are complicated, women's rights are not. Humans are, of course, not geladas - but if apes are able to make a decision on what is best for themselves and their unborn child, who is to say human women can't? . . Read more about the Bruce Effect in geladas: https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/the-bruce-effect-why-some-pregnant-monkeys-abort-when-new-males-arrive . Graphic shows a protest fist next to a female gender symbol. The factoid reads: "80% of pregnant geladas terminate their pregnancy once a new alpha male emerges as leader." . . #roevwade #geladas #prochoice #womensrights #womensrightsarehumanrights #womensrightsareanimalrights #animalrights #abortioninanimals #pixelplanet #pixelplanettoday #pixelart #planetfacts #artivism #climatedesign