Baboon is any of several large monkeys. A baboon has a big head with long, sharp canine teeth and a muzzle much like that of a dog. A baboon’s arms grow about as long as its legs. Some baboons have short, stumpy tails, but others have tails more than 2 feet (60 centimeters) long. Male baboons are much larger than the females and have longer canine teeth. Some female baboons weigh as little as 24 pounds (11 kilograms). A male baboon may weigh 90 pounds (41 kilograms).
Baboons live mostly on the ground but sleep in such places as trees or cliffs. Several kinds of baboons live in Africa and on the southwestern Arabian Peninsula. These include the hamadryas baboon, which lives on plains and rocky hills of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and eastern Africa near the Red Sea, and the chacma baboon, which inhabits rocky regions and open woodlands in southern Africa. Male hamadryas baboons have long, gray hair on the head and shoulders. Chacma baboons have grayish-brown body hair and a long ruff of hair around the neck. Males occasionally kill mammals and share the meat with other group members.
Loading the player...Chacma baboons
Baboons live in groups of from 10 to 200 animals. A majority of the groups have more females than males. Groups are ruled by several large males. Hamadryas baboons live in harems composed of one male and several females and their young. A large number of harems band together to form large groups. The males are fierce fighters and protect the group.
Baboons eat eggs, fruits, grass, insects, and roots. They can carry food in pouches inside their cheeks. Baboons are hunted mainly by hyenas, leopards, and lions.
Another large monkey, the gelada, is sometimes called the gelada baboon. But it is not a true baboon.
Loading the player...Young baboon
