Gelada

To capture the best footage of Geladas, focus your camera placement on 'cliffside corridors.' These primates travel between their sleeping cliffs and their feeding plateaus every morning and evening. Position your camera along established footpaths right at the edge of the plateau escarpment. Set the camera low to the ground—about 18 to 24 inches high—to capture their unique shuffling movement and get a clear view of the distinctive chest patches.

Use a high-speed burst mode or high-frame-rate video settings. Geladas are incredibly expressive, frequently using 'lip-flips' and 'eyelid-flicks' to communicate. A standard trail camera delay might miss these fleeting social signals. Because they live in high-glare, high-altitude environments, try to angle your camera slightly away from the direct morning sun to avoid blowing out the highlights on the males' long, shaggy manes.

Avoid using food lures. Geladas are specialized grass eaters and are rarely interested in fruit or nuts; furthermore, baiting them can lead to dangerous habituation. Instead, focus on natural water sources during the dry season (October to April). Small alpine seeps or pools on the plateau are magnets for large herds and provide excellent opportunities for group shots and drinking behavior.

Lastly, prepare for the elements. The Ethiopian Highlands experience extreme temperature swings and intense UV radiation. Use high-quality lithium batteries, as standard alkaline batteries will fail in the freezing nighttime temperatures on the cliffs. Ensure your camera housing is fully weatherproof to handle the dense mountain mists that often roll in during the late afternoon.