Species Information

Baboons are the largest members of the monkey family, possessing heads with long, naked, dog-like muzzles. Depending on the species, baboons weigh from 14 to 40 kg.

The chacma baboon is found in the countries of Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This species lives in woodland, steppe, highland grassland, and savanna type habitats. Availability of water usually limits to where they live.

The chacma baboon moves on the ground quadrupedally. When they run their style can be compared to the gallop of the horse.

Leaves constitute a major part of the diet although this species also eats flowers, roots, grasses, bark, twigs, sap, tubers, bulbs, mushrooms, lichens, aquatic plants, seeds, shoots, buds, invertebrates, and small vertebrates, such as gazelle.

Baboons live in well-organized troops. Large, dominant males rule the group and are responsible for keeping order and for protecting the group from predators. The baboon's principal enemy is the leopard but even leopards will avoid an encounter with the larger, adult males who are quite vicious adversaries.

This species has a promiscuous mating system. There is much aggression between males because of competition for females.

Social grooming: This is when one individual removes parasites and dead skin with their hands from another individual. In this species it generally only occurs between same sex individuals. This is used to reinforce the social bonds.

The chacma baboon gives birth to a single offspring.

Baboons walk on all four limbs with their tails held in a characteristic arch.

Information source: Baboons, Papio ursinus