This large male baboon barked at us, thus drawing attention to himself and the smaller baboon behind him. After I processed the picture, I noted the furry object wrapped around a branch above the baboons. I made a large enlargement, but I could not make out its species. All of the images are chacma baboons. [Botswana, Southern Africa].
Full grown male baboon, assigned by the alpha male, if necessary, to guard and defend the females and infants as they drink from the stream. Such an appointment by the alpha male that this individual, like a similar male guarding the other end, indicates that they rank high in the group's hierarchy. [Big Tom's, Hwange NP, Zimbabwe].
One would think that the baboon troop walking down this road would be very vulnerable to predation by lions or a group of hyenas. The alfa male in the front seems not to be worried. He has a couple of mature, senior fellows (like the one in the previous image), bringing up the rear. The large male baboon is a very tough, fearless animal who considers his being chosen for this role an honor, and it gives him high rank in the troop. Two of these full-grown fellows, with their large canine teeth and strong jaws, could inflict serious injuries to a lioness. [Seronara, Tanzania].
A family group of baboons rest beside the water. One of the females grooms a younger sibling. [Hwange NP, Zimbabwe].
A large male baboon relaxing on the bank of the stream. [Big Tom's, Hwange NP, Zimbabwe].
Baboon male sorting through elephant dung. He's looking for some tubers or roots to eat. Because elephants are poor digesters of what they ingest,, many species find their dung to be a good food-source. [Zimbabwe].
Baby baboon (about 3-4 months) with head, ear, and face wounds. It's not possible to know how it happened, but a good guess would be that it was produced by bites from an older juvenile whom this one had unintentionally antagonized while playing. [Botswana].
A baby baboon of about the same age as the one in the previous image (2-3 months) waiting patiently to get back in its mother's arms. This is the same baby as the one being carried by its mother in the previous image.The baby has really not been left alone, she was only a few feet away. [Seronara, Serengeti, Tanzania].
The older, larger baboon sitting on the branch has chased the younger one out onto a small branch. This was the culmination of a chase in which the bigger fellow wanted to punish physically the smaller baboon for something he had done to him. The two held their positions some 15 minutes before the larger one, tired of the game, abandoned the pursuit. [South Luangwa NP, Zambia].
On the ground, two adult female baboons with their four juveniles playing. The male is lying on his abdomen, and being groomed by the two adult females. [Botswana].
Female baboon sitting in tree with her year-old baby right behind her. [South Luangwa NP, Zambia].
Baboon family in a woodlands. The female in front has a tiny baby and two older juveniles with her. The male is sitting about 100 feet behind her. There is no doubt that he is playing the role of a 'watchdog'. [Mona Pools, Zimbabwe].
A lone, large male baboon idling away his time is forced to leave when suddenly a buffalo bull appears and approaches to get a drink at the nearby stream. The tree in the background with the hanging cylindrical fruit, which can weigh up to 15-20 lbs., is a kigalia tree. [South Luangwa NP, Zambia].
Infant Chacma Baboon with it two parents. The big male playfully growls at the baby who then scampers into its mother's arms. [Botswana].