Chacma Baboon
Papio ursinus
Chacma baboons use over 30 distinct vocalizations and a complex array of facial expressions to maintain their social hierarchy.
- Scientific name
- Papio ursinus
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Mammalia › Primates › Cercopithecidae › Papio
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Savannas, open woodlands, fynbos, and rocky mountain slopes.
- Diet
- Omnivorous: includes fruits, seeds, succulents, insects, and occasionally small mammals or birds.
- Range
- South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique
- Size
- 50-115 cm in length; weight ranges from 15 to 45 kg.
- Lifespan
- 30 to 45 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict in urban areas, and hunting for traditional medicine.
- Safe to approach?
- Dangerous. Maintain a distance of at least 15 meters. Never feed them, as this leads to habituation and aggression. If approached, stand your ground, avoid direct eye contact, and back away slowly. If bitten or scratched, seek immediate medical attention to treat potential infections or pathogens.
The Chacma baboon ( Papio ursinus ), also known as the Cape baboon , is, like all other baboons, from the Old World monkey family. It is one of the largest of all monkeys.
Photo: datadan, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
Plain-text version: /species/ad99f01a-c519-4ea2-afce-fa123d1adf3f.md