Olive Baboon feeding on ground in Tanzania
Baboons are African and Arabian Old World monkeys belonging to the genus Papio, part of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. The five species are some of the largest non-hominoid members of the primate order; only the mandrill and the drill are larger. Five species of Papio are commonly recognized, although there is some disagreement about whether they are really full species or subspecies. The species P. anubis or olive baboon is found in the north-central African savanna. All baboons have long, dog-like muzzles, heavy, powerful jaws with sharp canine teeth, close-set eyes, thick fur except on their muzzles, short tails, and rough spots on their protruding buttocks, called ischial callosities. These calluses are nerveless, hairless pads of skin that provide for the sitting comfort of the baboon. Baboons are terrestrial (ground dwelling) and are found in open savannah, open woodland and hills across Africa. Their diets are omnivorous, but mostly herbivorous, yet they eat insects and occasionally prey on fish, trout and salmon if available, shellfish, hares, birds, vervet monkeys, and small are foragers and are active at irregular times throughout the day and night. They can raid human dwellings, and in South Africa, they have been known to prey on sheep and goats. Baboons in captivity have been known to live up to 45 years, while in the wild their life expectancy is about 30 years. Their principal predators are Nile crocodiles, lions, spotted and striped hyenas, leopards and cheetahs. They are considered a difficult prey for the leopard, though, which is mostly a threat to young baboons.
Size: 3497px × 4371px
Location: Tarangire national Park, Tanzania
Photo credit: © Niall Ferguson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: africa, anubis, ape, baboon, forest, hominid, monkey, olive, papio, safari, savannah, tanzania
