# Baboon — Facts, Threats & Conservation

*Genus Papio — 6 species: hamadryas, olive, yellow, chacma, Guinea and Kinda baboon*

> Baboons are large Old World monkeys of the genus Papio, living in complex social troops across African savanna and desert; most species are Least Concern but face habitat loss and conflict with agriculture.

**IUCN status:** Varies by species (Least Concern to Near Threatened)  ·  **WARN range:** Sub-Saharan Africa, Arabian Peninsula (hamadryas baboon)

## Quick facts
| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Species | 6 recognised baboon species |
| Weight | 14–45 kg (males much larger than females) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — fruit, roots, insects, small prey |
| Social unit | Troop of 20–200 individuals |
| Habitat | Savanna, woodland, semi-desert, rocky hills |
| CITES | Appendix II |

## Scientific classification
- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Primates
- **Family:** Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys)
- **Genus:** Papio

## Conservation status
- **Status:** Most species Least Concern. Guinea baboon (Papio papio) Near Threatened due to habitat loss in West Africa.
- **Population:** Hundreds of thousands across Africa; no precise global count
- **Trend:** Stable globally; decreasing locally where habitat is lost
- **Assessed:** Varies by species
- **CITES:** Appendix II

## Key facts: Baboon
- Baboons are the largest monkeys in Africa, with dog-like muzzles and powerful jaws.
- Six species range from Guinea baboons in West Africa to chacma baboons in the south.
- Troops can contain up to 200 individuals with complex dominance hierarchies.
- Baboons are omnivorous, eating fruit, roots, insects, small mammals and occasionally crops.
- Conflict with farmers — crop raiding and retaliatory killing — is a major human-wildlife issue.
- Most species are Least Concern, but local populations are declining where habitat is lost.

## Six species across Africa
The genus Papio contains six species. The hamadryas baboon (P. hamadryas) ranges from the Horn of Africa across the Arabian Peninsula, living in one-male units that merge into larger bands. The olive baboon (P. anubis) is the most widespread, spanning equatorial Africa. The yellow baboon (P. cynocephalus) inhabits eastern and central Africa; the chacma baboon (P. ursinus) dominates southern Africa. The Guinea baboon (P. papio) is restricted to West Africa and is Near Threatened. The Kinda baboon (P. kindae) of central Africa was recognised as a separate species in 2013. All share the characteristic baboon silhouette: large body, long muzzle, short tail and calloused buttocks (ischial callosities) for sitting on rough surfaces.

## Social structure and intelligence
Baboon troops are among the most complex societies in the animal kingdom. Females stay in their natal troop and inherit rank from their mothers, forming matrilines that dominate troop politics. Males leave at maturity and transfer between troops, competing fiercely for access to females. Alliances, grooming and political manoeuvring determine rank. Baboons communicate through facial expressions, vocalisations and gestures — researchers have documented over 30 distinct signals. They use tools in some populations, swim when necessary, and adapt behaviour to urban edges in South Africa and Kenya. This intelligence makes them fascinating to study but also formidable crop raiders.

## Baboons and people
As agriculture expands into savanna and woodland, baboons increasingly raid maize, sugar cane and fruit crops. Farmers often shoot or poison raiding troops. In South Africa, chacma baboons in the Cape Peninsula have become habituated to urban areas, entering homes and cars for food — leading to management programmes involving relocation and aversive conditioning. In Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia, hamadryas baboons are sometimes kept as pets or used in traditional practices. Tourism that feeds baboons creates aggression and disease risk. Sustainable solutions include electric fencing, guard dogs, compensation schemes and waste management that removes attractants.

## Conservation status
Most baboon species are Least Concern with large populations and adaptable behaviour. The Guinea baboon is Near Threatened due to habitat loss and hunting in West Africa. CITES lists all baboon species on Appendix II.

Because baboons are not globally threatened, they receive less conservation funding than endangered primates — yet local extirpation occurs where habitat is destroyed or persecution is intense. Protected areas and wildlife corridors maintain connectivity between troops. Research on baboon social behaviour continues to inform understanding of primate cognition and human evolution.

## Related WARN primate guides
Baboons are among Africa's most visible primates — but readers often confuse them with mandrills, macaques or monkeys more broadly. Read WARN's monkey species library for New and Old World primates, mandrill guide for Central African forest relatives, and gorilla and chimpanzee pages for great ape context.

Human–wildlife conflict with crop-raiding baboons mirrors challenges WARN addresses in partner countries where forests become farms.

Never feed baboons at tourist sites — habituation leads to aggression and culling.

## What WARN does
WARN publishes this baboon guide as free public education. Baboons illustrate the complexity of human-wildlife coexistence — adaptable enough to persist, yet vulnerable to persecution where forests become farms.

If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.

## Frequently asked questions: Baboon
### How many baboon species are there?
Six species are recognised: hamadryas, olive, yellow, chacma, Guinea and Kinda baboon. The Kinda baboon was described as a separate species in 2013.

### Are baboons dangerous?
Baboons are powerful animals with large canine teeth. They rarely attack unprovoked but will defend themselves if cornered or if they associate humans with food. Feeding baboons increases aggression.

### What do baboons eat?
Baboons are omnivorous, eating fruit, seeds, roots, insects, small mammals, birds and eggs. They also raid crops — maize, sugar cane and fruit — which brings them into conflict with farmers.

### How big are baboon troops?
Troop size varies from 20 to 200 individuals depending on species and habitat. Hamadryas baboons form smaller one-male units that merge into bands of several hundred.

### Are baboons endangered?
Most species are Least Concern. The Guinea baboon is Near Threatened due to habitat loss in West Africa. Local populations decline where persecution and habitat destruction are intense.

### What is the difference between a baboon and a mandrill?
Baboons (Papio) and mandrills (Mandrillus) are related but separate genera. Mandrills are more colourful, with blue and red facial ridges, and live in Central African rainforest. Baboons inhabit more open savanna and woodland.

## Sources
- [IUCN Red List — Papio assessments](https://www.iucnredlist.org/)
- [CITES — Checklist of CITES Species](https://checklist.cites.org/)
- [Amboseli Baboon Research Project](https://amboselibaboons.nd.edu/)

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Full guide: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/baboon