Baboon

(Papio ursinus)

lion

Baboons are common throughout the Kruger National Park. They are very water dependant and are therefore particularly plentiful along the larger rivers like the Sabie, Timbavati and Letaba. Baboons often form very large troops of close to 50 individuals or more.

Male
  
Female

baboon male

  

female baboon
Shoulder height: ±120-160cm / 47-63in
 
Shoulder height: 1.5m / 4.9ft
Weight: ±25-45kg / 55-99lbs
 
Weight: ±12-20kg / 26.4-44.1lbs
Features: Larger than females,
especially when dominant
 
Features: Smaller than males


More baboon facts:

Habitat:

They never stray far from water and need either large trees or rocky areas where they can sleep. They occur throughout the Kruger National Park.

Active:

Daytime

Food:

Almost anything: fruits, leaves, grass, flowers, insects, birds, meat…

Babies:

A baby clings to the mother's belly when it is very small and as it gets older, it starts riding on her back

In Kruger:

To learn more about how to find baboons in Kruger, check out the right-hand sidebar



Back to main mammals page

How to find baboons in the Kruger National Park:

leopard

Stay at these camps:
Skukuza
Lower Sabie
Orpen/Tamboti/Maroela
Letaba

Drive these roads:
H4-1 tar road
H7 tar road (west)
H1-6 (next to the Letaba River)

Top tips:
Search for baboons along the large rivers of Kruger, especially the Sabie River!

One of the best spots to find them is at the Sabie River bridge, where the H4-1 and the H12 meet.

Check out our baboons and monkeys gallery:baboons and monkeys gallery



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