The Chacma Baboon is sometimes referred to as the Cape Baboon.
A male baboon can be up to 1 metre in length and that excludes the tail which is another 80 cm. They can weigh up to 40 kg. Female baboons are smaller than males with a weight of around 25 kg.
Male baboons can have canine teeth that are nearly 4 cm in length. They can be very aggressive and there are recorded incidents of a baboon killing a Leopard which attacked it. They clash with humans from time to time and care should be exercised when they are nearby.
The Chacma Baboon is found in a variety of habitats including savanna, woodland, semi-desert and mountain grasslands.
Chacma Baboons eat a wide variety of foods including fruit, seeds, insects and grass. They will also take small animals, including baby antelopes, if they can catch them. They will raid human households at time, or steal food from cars or picnic areas.
These baboons live in troops which contain adult males and females, along with their young. Smaller troops may just have one male and a couple of females.
Above - Young Chacma Baboons travel on the backs of their mothers or, at times, hanging underneath her.Below - A troop of Chacma Baboons stroll along a dry river bed in iMfolozi Game Reserve
