Baboon Facts
A baboon is a large Old World monkey of the genus Papio, a primate with a long, dog-like muzzle and heavy, powerful jaws.
- Class
- Mammal
- Scientific name
- Papio
About the baboon
Six baboon species exist: hamadryas, Guinea, olive, yellow, Kinda and chacma. Each is native to its own area of Africa, and the hamadryas also lives on part of the Arabian Peninsula. Size spans a wide range. The Kinda baboon is the smallest at 50 cm (20 in) and 14 kg (31 lb), while the chacma can reach 120 cm (47 in) and 40 kg (88 lb). Male hamadryas baboons wear big white manes.
Baboons spend their days on the ground in open savannas and woodlands, then climb into trees or onto cliffs and high rocks to sleep away from predators. They eat many kinds of plants and animals. Nile crocodiles, leopards, lions and hyenas hunt them. Most live in ranked troops, and baboons can work out who outranks whom just by listening to vocal exchanges.
Did you know?
- Baboons go back at least two million years.
- Hairless pads on a baboon's rear, called ischial callosities, make sitting comfortable.
- Papio is one of 23 genera of Old World monkeys.
Questions about the baboon
What do baboons eat?
They are omnivores, eating a variety of plants and animals.
Where do baboons live?
Across Africa in open savannas and woodlands, and the hamadryas baboon also lives in part of the Arabian Peninsula.
Sources
- Wikidata Q159429, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Baboon, checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.