Baboons - Physical Characteristics, Social Behavior, Baboon Friendships, Food And Foraging Habits, Communication, Baboon Models

Baboons are ground-living monkeys in the primate family Cercopithecidae and are found in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Some taxonomists classify baboons in two genera, while others classify them in three or four. All baboons have a strong torso, a snout-like face, the same dentition with long, sharp canine teeth, powerful jaws, a ground-walking habit, coarse body hair, a naked rump, and a similar social organization.

Baboons, who at the turn of the century were thought to outnumber people in Africa, are still the most populous monkeys on the continent. In contrast to most other primates, which are arboreal forest dwellers, baboons have successfully adapted to living on the ground—like humans. Baboons live in savanna woodland, rocky plains, hill regions, and rainforests, and are mainly terrestrial. They are active during the day and eat both plant and animal materials. Baboons form large groups, called troops, that travel together foraging for food. At night, they will sleep in groups.