In the UK vermin are rats, maybe mouse squirrels – in Africa they are slightly larger and take the shape of a baboon, an intelligent primate that can be nearly a meter tall and weigh up to 30kg. This is considered to be humanity’s closest brother, capable of many things including thinking and learning. They exhibit complex behavioral traits very similar to humans. If you already know a lot about other African animals, here are a number of facts about baboons that will set your mind at ease with the complexities of this animal and nature’s support. If one of these tries to steal your lunch, it’s not a good idea to fight back! Here is a selection of 20 interesting facts about baboons.
Baboon Facts – Characteristics
1 – There are five species of baboon in Africa; The two most commonly seen are the colorfully named olive baboon, Papiocynocephalus anubis , and yellow baboon , P. cynocephalus . The other three species are the hamadryas, P. hamadryas , the chacma, P. ursinus, and the guinea P. papio .
2 – “Nyani” (“baboons” in Swahili) are found on most of the African continent, but in general in different areas; The guinea occurs only in and near Guinea on the north-west coast, the hamadryas only on the extreme north-eastern edge and bottom of the Arabian Peninsula, and between the two the olive occurs from Mali to Tanzania. The Yellow is in the next section between Kenya and Botswana and the Chacma occupies most of the southern part of the continent.
3 – The Olive Baboon has an odd quirk in its tail – it looks permanently broken. The animal carries the first quarter or so straight up from its rump and then lets the rest fall limply, giving that impression – but it’s not true, don’t worry!
4 – Female baboons are often much smaller than males and lack the long hair around their necks that characterizes the mature male.
Baboon Facts – Habitats
5 – Due to its relatively small range and loss of habitat, the Guinea Baboon is classified with the conservation status of ‘Near Threatened’, but all others are ‘Least Concern’.
6- Baboons live in a surprisingly wide variety of habitats that basically don’t really care where they are as long as they have a water source and something like tall trees or cliff dens where they can sleep safely.
7 – In fact, even the water source can be optional as they can survive for quite a while by licking their fur free of condensation overnight, although they will drink properly every other day or so at will.
8 – A troop will have a specific territory it will wander and search within, but the borders seem a bit blurry and often overlap those of the other troop. However, they avoid confrontations by simply staying away from each other.
9 – Baboons can eat pretty much anything omnivore, but they are picky about what they eat. Their diet can include everything from grass, berries, and roots to insects, shellfish, and even small mammals and birds.
Baboon Facts – Habits
10. Baboons are extremely agile, very intelligent and also extremely adaptable. This contributes to their being viewed by the natives as pests and vermin rather than wildlife.
11 – Most days baboons mount around 8 am, have a good grooming session together while the kids play, then head out in platoons in search of food. This allows them to walk around ten kilometers a day, splitting up either side of a siesta during the hottest part of the day.
12 – While walking, the troop enters into a protective order, with the dominant males leading the way, the females and young forming the middle, and the inferior males forming the back.
13 – In the evening they return to their sleeping quarters and after another session of mutual grooming, which helps members of the troupe bond and keep them clean, they settle down for the night. Definitely creatures of habit.
Baboon Facts – Family
14 – Baboons live in troops of around 50 animals, consisting of 15 or so related females with their offspring, both babies and sub-adults, and up to eight or so mature males. There is a very precise ranking system that is strictly enforced – everyone knows their place and sticks to it, or…
15 – A baboon pregnancy lasts about six months. In the first few weeks after delivery, the mother carries the child with her everywhere and holds it with one hand on her stomach when she travels.
16 – At about six weeks, the baby can rideHolding his back to all four limbs, then sits up and rides like a jockey. After about five months, he spends more time with the other youngsters than with his mother.
17 – As the youth grow up, it is easy for women to become adults in their own troupe, while men go away to look for another troop to join. They usually do this by befriending some of the females in the new squad, defending them and their young, and gradually being accepted that way.
Baboon Facts – Predators
18 – Of course, baboons’ biggest predators are us humans. However, they learned fairly quickly that humans can still kill or injure them if they try to escape in the trees. So if we’re the problem, they’ll run off through the undergrowth instead.
19 – The only other real predators are big cats – leopards, lions and cheetahs – and the males will try to confront these by standing in a line, showing their huge teeth and screaming loudly. It often works, and otherwise the baboons are fierce fighters when they have to be…
See also: Facts about camels
Baboon Facts – Sounds!
20 – Despite the lack of a spoken language as we understand it, baboons use a set of around thirty sounds such as screams, grunts and barks. They also use non-vocal indications such as yawns, shoulder shrugs, and lip smacking. It seems they are getting their message across one way or another!