Among the arguments often presented for considering members of the genus Papio as a single species is the rampant hybridization seen between various forms of baboons. In captivity, hybrids between the following species pairs: P. anubis and P. cynocephalus; P. anubis and P. papio; P. anubis and P. hamadryas; P. anubis and P. ursinus; P. cynocephalus and P. hamadryas; P. papio and P. hamadryas; and P. hamadryas and P. ursinus.
In the wild, hybridization has been reported between anubis and yellow baboons, as well as between anubis and hamadryas baboons. However, based upon geographic variation in pelage characteristics, it is likely that hybridization between other forms of baboons also occurs. For example, within P. papio, there is clinal variation in coat color, with eastern populations showing browner pelage, and western populations redder pelage. The brown pelage in the west may be due to introgression of P. anubis genes. Similarly, Jolly (1993) speculates that the typical P. cynocephalus may have arisen through hybridization between Kinda type baboons and gray-footed baboons, with expansion and stabilization of the hybrid population.
Without detailed information on the flow of genes between populations, it is difficult to speculate on how stable hybrid zones are. Although hybrid animals in wild populations are known to breed, and there does not appear to be any assortative mating by species phenotype within hybrid populations, data on the relative reproductive success of hybrids are lacking. Similarly, data on the reproductive success among the various types of baboons within particular populations are not available.
In spite of the paucity of evidence, it is relatively easy to speculate on potential barriers to gene flow between hamadryas and anubis baboons. There is some evidence that indicates that male hamadryas baboons and possibly hamadryas-like hybrids, are at a reproductive disadvantage in wild anubis baboon populations. First, differences in absolute testicular size between the two species probably result in lower sperm production in hamadryas males than in anubis males. Given a social setting in which a female mates with multiple males, generating sperm competition, such reduced sperm production would impair a hamadryas males’ chances of fathering offspring. This would be expected even if mating success were equal for the two types of males. However, because of the differences in reproductive strategies between the species, it is also likely that hamadryas males, in their attempts to herd females, expend reproductive effort in a way that does not increase their mating success relative to anubis males.
Similar difficulties would be predicted for male anubis baboons immigrating into hamadryas territory. Because male hamadryas associate largely with male kin, one might predict that it would be difficult for an anubis male to become associated with a band of hamadryas baboons. Should the anubis male succeed in associating with a hamadryas band, it is unclear how he would fare in establishing a one male unit, or harem, of females given the differences in herding tendency, and the greater tolerance of matings by other males typical of males in multi-male anubis troops. Although males seem able to adjust their behavior facultatively, at least in chacma baboons, it is unclear how these minor changes would translate within the nested social structure of hamadryas baboons.
Further investigation of hybridization patterns, behaviors associated with mating, and reproductive success of hybrids are clearly needed in order to make accurate predictions about gene flow between hamadryas baboons and anubis baboons.
It should also be noted that in itself, the ability to hybridize and produce fertile offspring, although necessary for populations to be considered members of the same species, does not necessarily make two populations members of the same biological species. Marginal hybridization is often seen due to retention of a pleisiomorphic zygostructure. Many cercopithecines are apparently interfertile, although there is little debate that they belong to distinct species. Even anubis baboons are known to occasionally hybridize with geladas, which most primate paleontologists estimate have been separated from the baboon lineage for about 4 million years.
Communication between baboons is complex, as would be expected for highly social animals. Baboons are very vocal, and although calls of all species are similar, they may be used in slightly different contexts in each species. Also, different species may produce the same basic vocalizations, yet with slightly different acoustic qualities. Vocalizations reported for Papio include barks, grunts, roars, screeches, yakking, clicking, and ick-ooers. Tactile communication includes a great deal of grooming, as well as social mounting (a form of reassurance), and nose-to-nose contact. Gestures and facial expressions, such as friendly faces and lip-smacking, also play a large role in communication. Some threats are communicated via facial expression or gestures. Olfactory communication may be present, as females are reported to have enhanced attractiveness to males when they are producing aliphatic acids.
Social dominance is very important in all baboon species. Human observers calculate the dominance rank of individuals by monitoring the outcome of one-on-one aggressive interactions, and looking at the tendency of one animal to supplant, or displace, another animal. It is likely that there are other cues which communicate dominance between the animals themselves.
Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
CITES lists all baboon species in Appendix II, so international trade in the animals or their parts is in theory regulated by governments.
The IUCN Redlist lists P. hamadryas and P. papio as "Lower Risk/near threatened," with major threats to baboons being habitat loss and degradation due to agriculture, havesting for food and for scientific purposes, as well as continued persecution by indigenous people. Other Papio species are listed as "Lower Risk/least concern," indicating the species are not considered at risk at this time.
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
Papio can be divided into five species, as outlined by Groves (2001). Papio hamadryas (hamadryas baboons), P. anubis (anubis baboons), P. cynocephalus (yellow baboons), P. ursinus (chacma baboons), and P. papio (Guinea baboons). Some authorities continue to recognize only a single species, Papio hamadryas, which is composed of five subspecies corresponding to the species mentioned above. Species are parapatric, with hybridization often occurring in areas where populations abut. In overall physical appearance, all members of the genus are similar, with variation in coat color (olive, brown, black, yellow, red, gray), and hair length. A mane or ruff of fur may be prominent in males, and varies by species. Size varies by species and geographically, with males weighing from 20 to 31 kg, and females weighing from 10 to 15 kg. Baboons may live in large or small multi-male, multi-female troops, or single male harems. In all species, social behavior is complex and varied. Baboons can be found in a variety of habitat types, including grasslands, woodlands, semi-arid and arid savannas, steppes, alpine woodlands, sub-deserts, gallery forests, and rainforests. This genus is primarily frugivorous, although grasses, leaves, seeds and other plant material are consumed. Animal matter is eaten when available.
Baboons are often considered pests. They are known to raid crops in Africa
Negative Impacts: crop pest
Baboons are large, active animals. They are therefore of interest to ecotourists. In Saudi Arabia, some local people feed hamadryas baboons, and some populations are reported to feed off garbage found in dumps. Baboons are heavily used in biomedical research. IUCN reports that some baboons are harvested as food by native populations.
Positive Impacts: food ; ecotourism ; research and education
Baboons play several important roles in their ecosystems. Because of their frugivorous tendencies, they disperse seeds. They pull forbs to eat their bulbs and eat tubers, contributing to soil aeration. As prey items, they are likely important to several predator species, depending upon the importance of these primates in the diets of the predators.
Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds; soil aeration
Although generally described as frugivorous, baboons will eat just about anything edible, including grasses, forbes, leaves, buds, flowers, seeds, eggs, insects, and meat. All baboons share the unique ability to subsist solely on grasses and forbes, which allows them to exploit savanna habitats not frequented by other monkeys.
Primary Diet: omnivore
Papio is found in the Ethiopian region, with a mostly continuous distribution in sub-saharan Africa. Isolated populations occur in the north within the Saharan region. P. hamadryas occurs both in the Ethiopian region and in the Palearctic, along the Red Sea coast of Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The Palearctic populations of P. hamadryas have been present for the length of recorded history in the region, but are thought to have been introduced by humans, possibly though a shipwreck, or through importation of these "sacred" baboons sometime during the past 4000 years.
Biogeographic Regions: palearctic (Introduced , Native ); ethiopian (Native )
Baboons inhabit a variety of habitats, including savannas, grasslands, scrublands, steppes, semi-arid woodlands, and sub-deserts, as well as gallery and rain forest areas. Key features of all baboon habitats include stable sources of water, and some type of elevated sleeping site. These sleeping sites are usually large trees or cliffs, where the baboons can spend their nights with reduced threat of predation. Rarely, if ever, have baboons been known to willingly sleep on the ground.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: desert or dune ; savanna or grassland ; forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest ; mountains
Other Habitat Features: urban ; agricultural
Members of the genus Papio have been reported to live for up to 45 years in captivity. Lifespans of wild animals are more difficult to assess, since even long-term studies of these animals in the wild cannot provide accurate information on the age of animals who immigrate into a community, nor can they track the eventual fate of those animals who emigrate from a community. However, the maximum lifespan in wild populations is probably 30 to 40 years.
Papio baboons are large members of the family Cercopithicidae, with weights ranging between 10 and 31 kg. Females of all species are about the same size (around 10 to 15 kg) but males are significantly larger. The greatest sexual dimorphism in size occurs within hamadryas and chacma baboon populatons.
The fur ranges in color from yellow to reddish, and from olive-gray to black. Young animals are always distinctly colored, usually having black fur, but in some species brown or brownish-red pelage characterizes young. Males may have a prominent mane. The face is nearly bare, and the palms and soles of the feet are completely so.
The long face has a conspicuous muzzle. The dental formula is (i 2/2, c 1/1, pm 2/2, m 3/3) x 2 = 32. The lower incisors tend to be oriented straight upward, and come into contact with the canines, whereas the upper incisors are packed tightly together, and separated from the canines by a large diastema. The upper canines are long, a feature which is extremely prominent in males.
Baboons have large ischial callosities, which are fused along the midline in males, but separated by the genitals in females. The skin surrounding these callosities tends to be furless and is either red or black, depending upon species. During mid-cycle, the ano-genital skin of females is swollen, and during pregnancy it reddens, making the rump even more conspicuous.
Locomotion is quadrupedal, and appears to be somewhat stiff-legged in most species. The weight is born on the front extremities by the fingers (digitigrade), but the weight is born by the hind feet across the entire sole of the foot (plantigrade). The thumb is relatively long, allowing precision grip and manipulation of objects. The tail is held in an arch, with the particular shape of the arch varying between species.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: male larger; sexes colored or patterned differently; male more colorful; ornamentation
Baboons are thought to fall prey to several large African predators. Annual rates of predation have been estimated at 1 to 9% of the population for various species and populations.
Some of the predators reported attempting to kill and eat baboons include lions, leopards, and Verreaux’s eagles. Chimpanzees also occasionally hunt baboons.
As in many animals, it is often the young who are the most threatened by predators. General patterns of survivorship in baboon infants are correlated indirectly with predation. Certain weather patterns may allow grasses to grow too tall or thick, allowing predators to surprise unwary young.
The genus Papio is known to exhibit several antipredator behaviors. In all species, males may chase members of their social group who have straggled away, bringing them back into the fold, so to speak. Baboons will mob leopards, and have been known to use their tremendous canine teeth to inflict severe damage upon these would-be assailants.
Reports regarding the spatial patterning of animals during troop movements vary. Some authors indicate that males tend to take the lead to protect the rest of the group for potential predators, but other authors assert that there is no consistent organization of individuals during movement.
Known Predators:
Reproduction and mating systems of the genus Papio fall into two primary types. The first is polygynadrous or promiscuous mating in multi-male, multi-female troops, found in all species except P. hamadryas. The second is mating within single male social units, typically found in P. hamadryas but occasionally reported for P. anubis, P. cynocephalus, and P. ursinus.
Within multi-female, multi-male troops, females attract males during a prolonged estrus period through the swelling of their prominently colored ano-genital area. Estrus swellings typically last for many days, during which males may actively compete for access to the female. Papio anubis females are reported to have receptivity of 15 to 20 day during the middle portion of their estrous cycles. Papio ursinus females are receptive throughout their cycle, but copulations peak during the mid portion of the cycle.
Olfactory cues may be present to signal female reproductive receptivity. Papio anubis females produce aliphatic acids, enhance their attractiveness to potential mates.
Certain males, usually mid- to high-ranking older males, are capable of forming stable consortships with females through exclusion of competitors. Younger males often attempt to "steal" females away from older males, but such older males may form coalitions to prevent this. Regardless, the success of a male in copulating with a female is often related to his long-standing relationship with her. Females are more cooperative toward males with whom they frequently associate in a friendly manner during the times when they are not in estrus. Such males will often support a female in her conflicts with other females or males, and will support the female’s offspring in peer conflicts. These males are also more likely to share food with the offspring of their "close" female friends.
The initiation of copulation follows a somewhat ritualized pattern in baboon species. A female typically presents her hindquarters to a male to signal that she is sexually receptive. Chacma baboon females also raise their eyebrows and flatten their ears while looking at males (Walters, 1987). Males may initiate a copulation by lip-smacking, making a friendly face, or gently shoving a female to entice her to stand. Copulation proceeds in either a single mount (e.g. P. anubis) or a series of mounts (e.g. P. ursinus, P. hamadryas). Information on mating frequencies is spotty, but is known to occur from 1 to 6 times per hour for cycling female yellow baboons, and from 7 to 14 times per hour for cycling female hamadryas baboons. Pregnant females, who generally exhibit a reddening of the perineal skin, do not copulate.
In contrast to the competition for access to females in other baboons, there is little overt competition of this nature in hamadryas baboons. A single male establishs a "harem" of females, which he guards from other males at all times, not just during their estrus periods. Males actively herd their females, keeping the social unit together during foraging. Males actively suppress aggression between females. Although sometimes these one-male units may have another male who acts as a "follower," rarely does the follower male interact with females.
In some cases, one-male units are found in other species of baboons, apparently usually a result of demographic stochasticity. When they occur, the male typically engages himself much more strongly in controlling the movements of group females, and intervenes more frequently and to greater effect in the conflicts which arise between females.
There are two mechanisms by which hamadryas males typically attract mates. The first is by abducting a young female from her mother. The male cares for the female, grooms her, and carries her if need be, until she reaches maturity, at which time he will mate with her. Females, who typically transfer out of their natal group upon reaching maturity, are generally attracted to males who already have a female, so kidnapping is an effective strategy for males to begin their family unit. The second strategy males adopt is to take-over an existing harem through direct aggression with and displacement of the tenured male. This strategy is complicated by the complex social relationships between males, who may intervene to support brothers, cousins, uncles or fathers in such conflicts.
An interesting correlate of these different mating systems is the schedule of testicular development in young males (Jolly and Phillips-Conroy, 2003). In P. anubis testes continue to grow through the adolescent period until full adult body size is attained, whereas in P. hamadryas testicular growth and development ends when the male is still a sub-adult. This results in distinctly smaller testes in hamadryas baboons than in anubis baboons, as would be predicted by models of sperm competition theory.
Another potential correlate of mating systems is the presence of series mounting during copulation, as opposed to single mounting. It is interesting to note that one-male units are most commonly reported for chacma baboons, and like hamadryas baboons, this species exhibits serial mounting during mating. Species where one-male units are less common are not reported to be serial mounters.
Mating System: polygynous ; polygynandrous (promiscuous)
Most members of the genus Papio breed throughout the year, although some populations may breed seasonally. The female cycle length is from 30 to 40 days, and varies by species, age, reproductive history of the female, social situation, and ecological variables. Information on gestation length is spotty. Gestation lasts approximately 180 days in P. anubis, 161 to 175 days in P. cynocephalus, 172 days in P. hamadryas, 187 days in P. ursinus.
In most species and populations, there is a birth peak. The timing of this peak varies, but is usually the end of the dry season or beginning of the rainy season. Lactation occurs until 6 to 15 months of age, varying by species, timing of birth, availability of weaning foods, maternal rank, and other variables (Harvey et al., 1987; Bentley-Condit, 1997; Rhine et al, 1988). Young typically weigh approximately 600 to 900 g at birth for P. hamadryas, 1068 g for P. anubis, and 854 g for P. cynocephalus. Newborns have a distinctly colored coat (black, brown or reddish-brown), which they maintain until they are approximately weaning age, when they molt into a fur more typical of adults of the species.
With the genus Papio, the interval between births ranges from 12 to 34 months. It is not known whether differences reported in interbirth intervals are due to genetic differences between populations as well as species, or ecological and social differences.
Females may reach menarche between 3 and 6 years of age. This may occur before adult teeth have fully erupted, and before adult body size is attained. Males reach puberty at 4 to 6 years of age. Testicles may mature prior to attainment of adult body size full eruption of canines, as is the case for P. hamadryas, or they may continue to grow until the adult body size is attained, as in P. anubis.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; year-round breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization ; viviparous
Parental care is provided primarily by mothers. Females nurse their young, carry them, groom them, and support them in agonistic encounters with their peers. Infants sleep in contact with their mothers until they are close to a year of age.
Females other than the mother may attempt to groom or hold newly born infants, and in some cases have been known to kidnap newborns from their mothers. If the infant is not returned promptly to nurse, it could die. This type of behavior therefore, has been interpreted as harassment, rather than as alloparenting.
There are interesting patterns of interaction between males and infants, which are sometimes interpreted as parental care. Males will typically use an infant as a buffer against aggression from other males, clinging to an infant if an attack by another male appears imminent. This appears to work because the mother, and her female kin, will become involved in the conflict if the male holding the infant is actually attacked. A potentially attacking male apparently thinks twice about instigating aggression when it might stir up resentment among the females.
Males often have a special relationship with the infants they use in such a fashion. Males groom, carry, and share meat with these infants. They also sometimes intervene in agonistic encounters between the infant and its peers. If a mother happens to die, males have been known to care for orphans whom they have used as agonistic buffers, providing some of the essential functions that the mother normally would.
This behavior may indeed be paternal, since infants typically allow themselves to be used as buffers only by those males who associate closely with their mothers. Since close male associates of a female have greater chances of fathering her offspring, the additional care that the male gives to his "buffer" infants may be going to his likely offspring.
Parental Investment: altricial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-independence (Protecting: Male, Female); post-independence association with parents; extended period of juvenile learning; inherits maternal/paternal territory; maternal position in the dominance hierarchy affects status of young
Baboons are primates comprising the genus Papio, one of the 23 genera of Old World monkeys, in the family Cercopithecidae. There are six species of baboon: the hamadryas baboon, the Guinea baboon, the olive baboon, the yellow baboon, the Kinda baboon and the chacma baboon. Each species is native to one of six areas of Africa and the hamadryas baboon is also native to part of the Arabian Peninsula.[2] Baboons are among the largest non-hominoid primates and have existed for at least two million years.
Baboons vary in size and weight depending on the species. The smallest, the Kinda baboon, is 50 cm (20 in) in length and weighs only 14 kg (31 lb), while the largest, the chacma baboon, is up to 120 cm (47 in) in length and weighs 40 kg (88 lb). 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 nerveless, hairless pads of skin on their protruding buttocks called ischial callosities that provide for sitting comfort. Male hamadryas baboons have large white manes. Baboons exhibit sexual dimorphism in size, colour and/or canine teeth development.
Baboons are diurnal and terrestrial, but sleep in trees, or on high cliffs or rocks at night, away from predators. They are found in open savannas and woodlands across Africa. They are omnivorous and their diet consists of a variety of plants and animals. Their principal predators are Nile crocodiles, leopards, lions and hyenas. Most baboons live in hierarchical troops containing harems. Baboons can determine from vocal exchanges what the dominance relations are between individuals.
In general, each male can mate with any female; the mating order among the males depends partly on their social rank. Females typically give birth after a six-month gestation, usually to one infant. The females tend to be the primary caretaker of the young, although several females may share the duties for all of their offspring. Offspring are weaned after about a year. They reach sexual maturity around five to eight years. Males leave their birth group, usually before they reach sexual maturity, whereas most females stay in the same group for their lives. Baboons in captivity live up to 45 years, while in the wild they average between 20 and 30 years.
Six species of Papio are recognized,[3] although there is some disagreement about whether they are really full species or subspecies.[4]
Previously five species of baboon were recognised; the Kinda baboon has gained support for its species status after phylogenetic studies of all members of Papio.[5][6] Many authors distinguish P. hamadryas as a full species, but regard all the others as subspecies of P. cynocephalus and refer to them collectively as "savanna baboons". This may not be helpful: it is based on the argument that the hamadryas baboon is behaviorally and physically distinct from other baboon species, and that this reflects a separate evolutionary history. However, recent morphological and genetic studies of Papio show the hamadryas baboon to be more closely related to the northern baboon species (the Guinea and olive baboons) than to the southern species (the yellow and chacma baboons).[4][7][8]
In 2015 researchers found the oldest baboon fossil on record, dated at 2 million years old.[9]
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.
All baboon species exhibit pronounced sexual dimorphism, usually in size, but also sometimes in colour. Males have much larger upper canines compared to females and use them in threat displays. Males of the hamadryas baboon species also have large white manes.
Baboons are able to acquire orthographic processing skills, which form part of the ability to read.[10]
Baboons are terrestrial (ground dwelling) and are found in open savannah, open woodland and hills across Africa. They are omnivorous, highly opportunistic feeders and will eat virtually anything, including grasses, roots, seeds, leaves, bark, fruits, fungus, insects, spiders, worms, fish, shellfish, rodents, birds, vervet monkeys, and small antelopes.[11] They are foragers and are active at irregular times throughout the day and night. They often raid human dwellings, and in South Africa they break into homes and cars in search of food. Baboons will also raid farms, eating crops and preying on sheep, goats and poultry.
Other than humans[11] the principal predators of baboons are leopards, lions, and spotted and striped hyenas.[12] They are considered a difficult prey for the leopard, though, which is mostly a threat to young baboons. Large males will often confront them by flashing their eyelids, showing their teeth by yawning, making gestures, and chasing after the intruder/predator. Although they are not a prey species, baboons have been killed by the black mamba snake. This usually occurs when a baboon accidentally rouses the snake.[13]
Baboons caught up a tree by Kalahari lions (1 of 3)
Baboons caught up a tree by Kalahari lions (2 of 3)
Baboons caught up a tree by Kalahari lions (3 of 3)
The collective noun for baboons is "troop".[14] Most baboons live in hierarchical troops. Group sizes are typically around 50 animals, but can vary between 5 and 250, depending on species, location and time of year. The structure within the troop varies considerably between hamadryas baboons and the remaining species, sometimes collectively referred to as savanna baboons. The hamadryas baboons often appear in very large groups composed of many smaller harems (one male with four or so females), to which females from elsewhere in the troop are recruited while they are still too young to breed. Other baboon species have a more promiscuous structure with a strict dominance hierarchy based on the matriline. The hamadryas baboon group will typically include a younger male, but he will not attempt to mate with the females unless the older male is removed. In the harems of the hamadryas baboons, the males jealously guard their females, to the point of grabbing and biting the females when they wander too far away. Despite this, some males will raid harems for females. Such situations often cause aggressive fights between the males. Visual threats usually accompany these aggressive fights. These include a quick flashing of the eyelids accompanied by a yawn to show off the teeth. Some males succeed in taking a female from another's harem, called a "takeover". In several species, infant baboons are taken by the males as hostages, or used as shields during fights.
Baboons can determine from vocal exchanges what the dominance relations are between individuals. When a confrontation occurs between different families or where a lower-ranking baboon takes the offensive, baboons show more interest in this exchange than those between members of the same family or when a higher-ranking baboon takes the offensive. This is because confrontations between different families or rank challenges can have a wider impact on the whole troop than an internal conflict in a family or a baboon reinforcing its dominance.[15]
Baboon social dynamics can also vary; Robert Sapolsky reported on a troop, known as the Forest Troop, during the 1980s, which experienced significantly less aggressive social dynamics after its most aggressive males died off during a tuberculosis outbreak, leaving a skewed gender ratio of majority females and a minority of low-aggression males. This relatively low-aggression culture persisted into the 1990s and extended to new males coming into the troop, though Sapolsky observed that while unique, the troop was not an "unrecognizably different utopia"; there was still a dominance hierarchy and aggressive intrasexual competition amongst males. Furthermore, no new behaviours were created amongst the baboons, rather the difference was the frequency and context of existing baboon behaviour.[16]
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Baboon mating behavior varies greatly depending on the social structure of the troop. In the mixed groups of savanna baboons, each male can mate with any female. The mating order among the males depends partially on their social ranking, and fights between males are not unusual. There are, however, more subtle possibilities; in mixed groups, males sometimes try to win the friendship of females. To garner this friendship, they may help groom the female, help care for her young, or supply her with food. The probability is high that those young are their offspring. Some females clearly prefer such friendly males as mates. However, males will also take infants during fights to protect themselves from harm. A female initiates mating by presenting her swollen rump to the male's face.[17]
In a wild baboon population of the Amboseli ecosystem in Kenya, inbreeding is avoided by mate choice.[18] Inbreeding avoidance through mate choice is thought to only evolve when related possible sexual partners frequently encounter each other and there is a risk of inbreeding depression.[19]
Females typically give birth after a six-month gestation, usually to a single infant; twin baboons are rare and often do not survive. The young baboon weighs approximately 400 g and has a black epidermis when born.
The females tend to be the primary caretaker of the young, although several females will share the duties for all of their offspring. After about one year, the young animals are weaned. They reach sexual maturity in five to eight years. Baboon males leave their birth group, usually before they reach sexual maturity, whereas females are philopatric and stay in the same group their whole lives.
Baboons in captivity have been known to live up to 45 years, while in the wild their life expectancy is between 20 and 30 years.
In Egyptian mythology, Babi was the deification of the hamadryas baboon and was therefore a sacred animal. It was known as the attendant of Thoth, so is also called the sacred baboon. The 2009 documentary Baboon Woman examines the relationship between baboons and humans in South Africa.
Herpesvirus papio family of viruses and strains infect baboons. Their effects on humans are unknown. Humans infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis can transmit the disease to the primates upon close proximity. Pathogens have a high likelihood of spreading through humans and species of nonhuman primates, such as baboons.[20]
Baboons are primates comprising the genus Papio, one of the 23 genera of Old World monkeys, in the family Cercopithecidae. There are six species of baboon: the hamadryas baboon, the Guinea baboon, the olive baboon, the yellow baboon, the Kinda baboon and the chacma baboon. Each species is native to one of six areas of Africa and the hamadryas baboon is also native to part of the Arabian Peninsula. Baboons are among the largest non-hominoid primates and have existed for at least two million years.
Baboons vary in size and weight depending on the species. The smallest, the Kinda baboon, is 50 cm (20 in) in length and weighs only 14 kg (31 lb), while the largest, the chacma baboon, is up to 120 cm (47 in) in length and weighs 40 kg (88 lb). 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 nerveless, hairless pads of skin on their protruding buttocks called ischial callosities that provide for sitting comfort. Male hamadryas baboons have large white manes. Baboons exhibit sexual dimorphism in size, colour and/or canine teeth development.
Baboons are diurnal and terrestrial, but sleep in trees, or on high cliffs or rocks at night, away from predators. They are found in open savannas and woodlands across Africa. They are omnivorous and their diet consists of a variety of plants and animals. Their principal predators are Nile crocodiles, leopards, lions and hyenas. Most baboons live in hierarchical troops containing harems. Baboons can determine from vocal exchanges what the dominance relations are between individuals.
In general, each male can mate with any female; the mating order among the males depends partly on their social rank. Females typically give birth after a six-month gestation, usually to one infant. The females tend to be the primary caretaker of the young, although several females may share the duties for all of their offspring. Offspring are weaned after about a year. They reach sexual maturity around five to eight years. Males leave their birth group, usually before they reach sexual maturity, whereas most females stay in the same group for their lives. Baboons in captivity live up to 45 years, while in the wild they average between 20 and 30 years.
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