Facts about baboons

April 22, 2012 | In: Animal facts for kids

All over the monkey world, the baboon surely has a special place. Not just because his funny behind, but it is known for its very aggressive behavior, when caught.

The baboon is basically a large monkey that lives in savannahs and rocky hills in Africa and Arabia. The baboons reach a height of 1.8 meters, meaning 6 ft, not to mention his25 inch long tail (65 cm), and weigh up to40 kg(almost 90 pounds). After this general presentation, let’s see some odd facts:

Baboons make lots of faces: laugh, smile, raise their eyebrows. Whatever a baboon does with its face, we laugh. But, in fact, these are only ways to transmit information to other baboons.

Baboons gather up in troops that can number up to 200 members. 80 percent are females and their cubs. Several male adults lead the group and each has a certain rank.

Like most monkeys, they tend to get very dirty. But not to fear, they have the solution. One baboon helps another groom by carefully picking parasites and dirt out of the other baboon’s fur. Grooming is an important part of baboon life. It helps baboons develop strong relationships with one another. Usually, lower-ranking members groom higher-ranking members of a baboon troop. It’s also a very important social activity.

Baboons are very good climbers. Throughout the day, they climb in trees and rocks. In fact, before they go to sleep, a half an hour of climbing is needed, in order to reach safe ground, where leopards and lions can’t climb to.

But lions, cheetahs and such aren’t the only baboon predators. Several species of baboons are endangered due to loss of habitat and indiscriminate hunting for their edible flesh.