A baboon is any of five species of large, robust monkeys in the genus Papio , found in the dry regions of Africa and Arabia. They are primarily terrestrial, dwelling in savannas and semiarid areas, though they regularly climb trees for sleeping, keeping watch, and feeding. Baboons have long snouts with nostrils at the end, and males possess daggerlike canine teeth. They are omnivorous, eating grass, seeds, fruit, roots, tubers, rodents, birds, and gazelle fawns. The five species include the chacma, yellow, anubis (or olive), Guinea, and hamadryas baboons. They live in troops typically numbering from 10 to several hundred, with dominance hierarchies among adult males.

Where do baboons live?

Baboons are robust monkeys found in Africa and Arabia. Unlike most monkeys, they don't typically live in tropical forests. Instead, they inhabit savannas and semiarid regions, though they do climb trees for sleeping, watching, and feeding. Geographically, different baboon species replace each other across Africa. The chacma baboon lives in southern Africa, while the yellow baboon is found further north, towards Kenya and Somalia. The anubis baboon has a wide range, from Kenya and Ethiopia to Mali, and even in the Sahara's less arid highlands. The Guinea baboon is limited to western Africa. Hamadryas baboons inhabit the semidesert hills along the African and Arabian coasts of the Red Sea.

Baboons are primarily terrestrial monkeys found in dry regions of Africa and Arabia. Unlike most monkeys, baboons don't typically live in tropical forests; instead, they are found in savannas and semiarid regions. Baboons have a varied diet that includes both plants and animals. They consume grass and grass seeds, fruits, pods, roots, and tubers, which they dig out of the ground. They also eat rodents, birds, and even gazelle fawns. In South Africa, they are known to kill lambs and are considered crop raiders. Though primates are generally omnivorous, few display dietary specialization.

What does a baboon look like?

Baboons are robust monkeys native to Africa and Arabia. They are characterized by their long snouts with nostrils at the end. Male baboons possess long, dagger-like canine teeth. They range in size from 50 to 115 cm in length, excluding their 45–70 cm arched tail. The chacma baboon is the largest, with males averaging around 30 kg, while females are about half that size. The hamadryas baboon is the smallest, with males weighing about 17 kg and females only 10 kg. Baboons have varied coloration depending on the species, from the brown or blackish chacma to the olive-colored anubis baboon.

How do baboons live together in groups?

Baboons are Old World monkeys that live in social groups called troops, which can range from 10 to hundreds of individuals. Savannah baboon troops are cohesive and contain multiple males and females. In these groups, females typically remain in their birth troop, creating close genetic relationships, while males leave to join other troops as they mature. A dominance hierarchy exists among adult males, established through threats and fights, which constantly shifts. Female hierarchies are more stable due to their genetic relations. Dominant individuals have priority access to food and mates and maintain order within the troop. Hamadryas baboons have a different social structure, living in small groups that merge in the evening to sleep on cliffs.

What are some unique behaviors or traits of baboons compared to other primates?

Baboons, found in the dry regions of Africa and Arabia, exhibit unique traits compared to other primates. Unlike most monkeys, baboons primarily inhabit savanna and semiarid regions, where they roam on the ground, though they still climb trees for sleeping, watching, and feeding. A key differentiator among baboons is their diet. While most primates are omnivorous, baboons consume grass, seeds, fruits, roots, tubers, rodents, birds, and even gazelle fawns. They are also known to raid crops and, in South Africa, reportedly kill lambs. Socially, savannah baboons live in large, cohesive troops with a constantly shifting male dominance hierarchy. Unusually, female baboons remain in their birth troop, creating stable, genetically related groups.

baboon

Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images & Videos

An adult baboon carries a baby baboon on her back.

A baboon uses its hands to groom another baboon's back at the Nuremberg Zoo in Germany, with both animals facing slightly different directions.

The video thumbnail image shows two black and white photos of monkey and ape heads, surrounded by blue and pink circles.

Figure 36: Mother olive baboon (Papio anubis) and young.

Observe a baboon troop descend from treetops to rove, play, and forage in the Tanzanian landscape

At a Glance

baboon summary

Quick Facts

Related Topics:: mandrill; hamadryas; chacma; guinea baboon; olive baboon

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baboon

mammal

Also known as: Chaeropithecus, Papio

Written by

Colin Peter Groves

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Oct. 1, 2026 •History

Top Questions

What is a baboon?
A baboon is any of five species of large, robust monkeys in the genus Papio, found in the dry regions of Africa and Arabia. They are primarily terrestrial, dwelling in savannas and semiarid areas, though they regularly climb trees for sleeping, keeping watch, and feeding.

Baboons have long snouts with nostrils at the end, and males possess daggerlike canine teeth. They are omnivorous, eating grass, seeds, fruit, roots, tubers, rodents, birds, and gazelle fawns.

The five species include the chacma, yellow, anubis (or olive), Guinea, and hamadryas baboons. They live in troops typically numbering from 10 to several hundred, with dominance hierarchies among adult males.
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1. baboon
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Where do baboons live?
Baboons are robust monkeys found in Africa and Arabia. Unlike most monkeys, they don't typically live in tropical forests. Instead, they inhabit savannas and semiarid regions, though they do climb trees for sleeping, watching, and feeding.

Geographically, different baboon species replace each other across Africa. The chacma baboon lives in southern Africa, while the yellow baboon is found further north, towards Kenya and Somalia. The anubis baboon has a wide range, from Kenya and Ethiopia to Mali, and even in the Sahara's less arid highlands. The Guinea baboon is limited to western Africa. Hamadryas baboons inhabit the semidesert hills along the African and Arabian coasts of the Red Sea.
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What do baboons eat?
Baboons are primarily terrestrial monkeys found in dry regions of Africa and Arabia. Unlike most monkeys, baboons don't typically live in tropical forests; instead, they are found in savannas and semiarid regions.

Baboons have a varied diet that includes both plants and animals. They consume grass and grass seeds, fruits, pods, roots, and tubers, which they dig out of the ground. They also eat rodents, birds, and even gazelle fawns. In South Africa, they are known to kill lambs and are considered crop raiders. Though primates are generally omnivorous, few display dietary specialization.
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What does a baboon look like?
Baboons are robust monkeys native to Africa and Arabia. They are characterized by their long snouts with nostrils at the end. Male baboons possess long, dagger-like canine teeth. They range in size from 50 to 115 cm in length, excluding their 45–70 cm arched tail.

The chacma baboon is the largest, with males averaging around 30 kg, while females are about half that size. The hamadryas baboon is the smallest, with males weighing about 17 kg and females only 10 kg. Baboons have varied coloration depending on the species, from the brown or blackish chacma to the olive-colored anubis baboon.
1 Britannica Source
1. baboon
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How do baboons live together in groups?
Baboons are Old World monkeys that live in social groups called troops, which can range from 10 to hundreds of individuals. Savannah baboon troops are cohesive and contain multiple males and females. In these groups, females typically remain in their birth troop, creating close genetic relationships, while males leave to join other troops as they mature. A dominance hierarchy exists among adult males, established through threats and fights, which constantly shifts. Female hierarchies are more stable due to their genetic relations. Dominant individuals have priority access to food and mates and maintain order within the troop. Hamadryas baboons have a different social structure, living in small groups that merge in the evening to sleep on cliffs.
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What are some unique behaviors or traits of baboons compared to other primates?
Baboons, found in the dry regions of Africa and Arabia, exhibit unique traits compared to other primates. Unlike most monkeys, baboons primarily inhabit savanna and semiarid regions, where they roam on the ground, though they still climb trees for sleeping, watching, and feeding.

A key differentiator among baboons is their diet. While most primates are omnivorous, baboons consume grass, seeds, fruits, roots, tubers, rodents, birds, and even gazelle fawns. They are also known to raid crops and, in South Africa, reportedly kill lambs.

Socially, savannah baboons live in large, cohesive troops with a constantly shifting male dominance hierarchy. Unusually, female baboons remain in their birth troop, creating stable, genetically related groups.
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Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

baboon, (genus Papio), any of five species of large, robust, and primarily terrrestrial monkeys found in dry regions of Africa and Arabia. Males of the largest species, the chacma baboon (Papio ursinus), average 30 kg (66 pounds) or so, but females are only half this size. The smallest is the hamadryas, or sacred baboon (P. hamadryas), with males weighing about 17 kg and females only 10, but this still places them among the largest monkeys. Baboons range from 50 to 115 cm (20–45 inches) long, not including the 45–70-cm tail, which is carried in a characteristic arch. All species have long snouts with the nostrils located at the end; male baboons have long daggerlike canine teeth.

Unlike most monkeys, few baboons live in tropical forests; most are found in savanna and semiarid regions, where they rove on the ground. They regularly climb trees, however, and here they sleep, keep watch, and sometimes feed. Baboons eat a variety of plants and animals, including grass and grass seeds, fruit, pods, roots, and tubers that they dig out of the ground. They also eat rodents, birds, and even gazelle fawns that they find hiding in long grass. In South Africa they are said to kill lambs, and everywhere they are known as crop raiders.

The five species of baboon replace each other geographically across the open country of Africa from parts of the Sahara southward. The chacma, which lives in southern Africa south of the Zambezi River, is brown or blackish in colour. The much smaller yellow baboon (P. cynocephalus) is found from the Zambezi northward to the Kenya coast and Somalia. The anubis, or olive baboon (P. anubis), is only slightly smaller than the chacma and olive in colour; the male has a large mane of hair over the head and shoulders. The anubis baboon has a wide range, from the hinterland of Kenya and Ethiopia through the grasslands and Sahel westward to Mali. It is also found in the less-arid highlands of the Sahara, such as Tibesti and Aïr. The small red Guinea baboon (P. papio) is restricted to far western Africa, and males have a cape of hair. These four species are often referred to collectively as savannah baboons, and they have much in common. All live in large cohesive troops numbering from 10 to several hundred. In most cases, females will remain with the troop in which they are born, but males nearing maturity will leave and try to join a different troop. Within each troop there is a dominance hierarchy among adult males. They threaten each other and often fight, and the dominance ranking is constantly changing. The dominance hierarchy of females is much more stable; females are genetically related to each other and rarely fight. Dominant members of each sex have the first choice of favoured foods and mating partners; they also keep order within the troop, chasing and threatening subordinates that are fighting or otherwise causing a disturbance.

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The female baboon has a menstrual cycle lasting about 35 days. As estrus approaches, she develops large cushionlike swellings incorporating the vulva, perineum, and anus; these make her attractive to the males, which then compete to consort with her. The most dominant male will mate with more estrous females than will any other males and thus will father a high proportion of the next generation. After ovulation, the female’s swellings rapidly subside, and she is no longer attractive to the adult males. A single infant is born after a gestation of five to six months. The young are conspicuously black in colour and are permitted a great deal of freedom in their behaviour.

The fifth species, the hamadryas baboon (P. hamadryas), differs in appearance from the savannah baboons in that females are brown, but males are silvery gray with an enormous cape of hair on the neck and shoulders. Hamadryas baboons live in the semidesert hills along the African and Arabian coasts of the Red Sea. The small groups of hamadryas rove on their own during the day, then come back together in the evening and sleep on cliffs (not in trees, like most savannah baboons).

The ranges of hamadryas and anubis baboons meet in Africa, and here the two species hybridize. Observations of these hybrids have shown that much of the difference in behaviour between the two species is genetic. For example, the ability of hybrid males to herd females seems to be greater the more they physically resemble hamadryas. Along the Awash River of Ethiopia, the hamadryas/anubis border and its hybrid zone moves back and forth according to climate; after a run of dry years, the hamadryas area moves upriver, whereas a run of wetter years results in the anubis’s expanding downstream. This study (begun in the mid-1960s) and others like it have provided significant information on various evolutionary processes, including adaptation, genetics, and gene flow between different but related species.

Baboons belong to a large family of Old World monkeys (Cercopithecidae). Other long-faced monkeys, especially the mandrill and drill, the gelada, and the Celebes macaque, are sometimes referred to as baboons, but among these only the gelada is closely related. In the Guyanas and Belize, the term baboon is colloquially applied to the howler monkey.

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