Hamadryas baboon
Papio hamadryas
![mantled baboon A mantled baboon cuddles the back of its smaller conspecific.](/fileadmin/_processed_/7/2/csm_pavian-tierpark-hellabrunn-geozone-afrika-primaten-affen_293b2fdbf4.jpg)
- FamilyOld World monkeys (Cercopithecidae)
- Weight♀ 10 – 15 kg,♂ 20 – 30 kg
- HabitatSemi-deserts, steppes, grasslands, short-grass savannahs
Sleeping in groups
Although they are excellent climbers, hamadryas baboons are ground-dwelling primates that walk on all fours. At night, the one-male units coalesce at the designated sleeping rock for the entire troop. In the morning they split up into the smaller one-male units to forage for the day. Sleeping in groups protects the animals against predators.
![hamadryas baboon The picture shows a sitting hamadryas baboon. He has put his arms in front of his belly and looks to the left side of the picture.](/fileadmin/_processed_/e/a/csm_paviane-hellabrunn-tierpark-tierlexikon-afrika-2012-Dinkel-mod-cmyk_49ae0638de.png)
Safety in numbers
Male hamadryas baboons maintain a harem where they live together with several females and their offspring. The head of the one-male unit must carefully defend his position against competing males, which can often lead to violent scuffl es. For safety, two or more harems may organise to form a clan of about 20 individuals, which may unite with other clans to form a band of up to 100 individuals. Several bands may join forces to form a troop of up to 800 individuals.
When a female is ready to mate her rump becomes swollen and red, presenting a clear signal to the males.
Distribution
![Distribution](/fileadmin/_processed_/9/5/csm_tph-verbreitungskarten-afrika-mantelpavian-eng-2022_b14b0f5dc4.png)
![Logo EEP](/fileadmin/_processed_/e/1/csm_logo-europaeisches-erhaltungszuchtprogramm-tierpark-hellabrunn_ea9ec9e202.png)
Hellabrunn Zoo participates in the European Endangered Species Programmes