Chacma Baboon

Kaapse Bobbejaan · Papio ursinus

A large, dog-faced monkey with a grey-brown coat, a long muzzle and a downward-kinked tail. Chacma baboons live in big troops with a clear pecking order, foraging on the ground for fruit, seeds, insects and small animals. They are bold and clever, and troops post lookouts to watch for leopards, their main natural enemy.

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How to identify it

Its long dog-like muzzle and ground-dwelling troop life set it apart from the smaller, tree-loving vervet monkey.

Look for its tracks

Hand-like prints — long 'fingers' and a thumb up front, a longer foot behind; walks on all fours.

Where to see it in Kruger

Common park-wide in woodland, rocky areas and near camps; troops are often seen foraging beside roads.

Did you know

Baboons greet and calm each other by grooming, picking through fur to clean it and strengthen friendships.

Often confused with

Vervet Monkey

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