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Name || Hamadryas baboon

Scientific Name || Papio hamadryas hamadryas

Conservation Status || Rare

Habitat || Baboons live in arid sub-desert and savannah woodland. They are found in Somalia, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and parts of Yemen.

Unique Features || Adult males are larger than the females, and have a long, silvery cape. Females are olive brown. Infants are black. Both males and females have a bright pink face and bottom. Social Behaviour || Hamadryas baboons have a four level social structure. An adult male dominates a group of up to 10 females called his harem. Two or more of these units, with single male followers, make up a clan. Several clans make a band, and several bands together form a troop. Hamadryas baboons live in a very harsh environment, with extremes of both heat and cold. They travel up to 20km a day in search of food. Diet || Grass, seeds, roots, tubers, leaves, small vertebrates, termites. Reproduction || Usually a single baby is born after a five month pregnancy. The young baboon is born fully furred and rides on its mothers back, remaining dependent on her for learning and support until it is two years old. Life Cycle || Baboons reach sexual maturity at around four and a half years of age, and have a life span of around 35 years. Relatives || Hamadryas baboons are Old World monkeys related to other cheek pouch monkeys, including the five other species of baboon, drills and macaques Interesting Facts : A sheltered sleeping site, often on a cliff face, may be shared by as many as 800 individuals from several troops. In baboon society, staring and showing of teeth are considered a threat. The Hamadryas Baboon was the sacred baboon of the ancient Egyptians, often pictured on temples and monoliths as the attendant or representative of Thoth, the god of letters and scribe of the gods. Baboons were mummified, entombed and associated with sun-worship. This is the only non-human primate found in Arabia. Also known as the sacred or "mantled" or Arabian baboon. These animals are very social and are stressed by isolation. A direct stare is a threat. To threaten in return, they will raise their eyebrows, showing their white eyelid and partially open their mouth, displaying formidable canines. Intensifying the threat, they may yawn, raise their hair, slap hands and feet on the ground, grind their teeth and scream. Fear is shown by a "grin" with no eyelid threat. They have a number of calls; alarm is given by a dog like bark. Baboons are a lot like humans when it comes to male baldness. Some go bald, some do not. Breeding Programme || A regional breeding programme incorporates zoos in New Zealand, Australia and Asia. Wellington Zoo's successful breeding programme has recommenced with the completion of the large natural enclosure in March 2000. Environmental Conditions || Human wars have been a serious threat to Hamadryas Baboons. At Wellington Zoo || We have 20 baboons. Some were born at Wellington Zoo; the others at Melbourne, Adelaide and Rotterdam Zoos. Our youngest was born in 2004, our oldest in 1979.

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