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Chacma baboons are the largest monkey species, living in large, male-dominated troops across Southern Africa, known for their dog-like faces, omnivorous diet (plants, insects, small animals), and complex social hierarchy where males fight for dominance, sometimes leading to infanticide. They're terrestrial, sleeping in trees or cliffs, and communicate with gestures and sounds, adapting well to diverse habitats from grasslands to mountains.
Key Facts:
Size: Males are significantly larger, weighing up to 45 kg (99 lbs) and measuring over a meter long, while females are about half the size.
Appearance: Dark brown to gray fur, long faces with prominent muzzles, and long limbs; males have rough hair on their neck but not a full mane like some other baboons.
Habitat: Found across Southern Africa (south of the Zambezi River), thriving in grasslands, woodlands, semi-deserts, and mountainous areas.
Diet: Omnivores, eating fruits, seeds, grasses, insects, scorpions, and occasionally meat from small animals.
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Social Structure: Live in large troops (20-200+), with complex, unstable male hierarchies and strong female family bonds.
Behavior: Highly social, using body language and vocalizations; males can be aggressive; females stay in their birth groups.
Reproduction: Six-month gestation, typically one infant; fathers are protective, but infanticide by new alpha males occurs to bring females into estrus.
Conservation: Generally "Least Concern," but conflicts arise with farmers due to crop raiding.
Predators: Leopards, crocodiles, eagles, lions, and hyenas.
