Chacma Baboon

     Chacma baboons are the second largest monkey in the world, residing in troops of anywhere from 20 to over 200 individuals and consisting of a mixture of related and unrelated individuals subjugated by a handful of dominant males. Chacma baboons are sexually dimorphic, with males growing to almost double the size of the females.

 

     Chacma baboons are omnivores, eating mostly plant material but they do eat meat and have even been known to hunt small antelope. Their diet can be extremely varied and includes fruits, seeds, grass, blossoms, bulbs, insects, worms, rodents, birds (and eggs) and fungi. This diversity of food options allows baboons to reside in a wide variety of habitats, including coastal, mountainous, and forested regions, as well as woodland savannahs and semi-deserts throughout Southern Africa.