Olive baboon
Taxonomy and Evolution
The Olive baboon (Papio anubis) is a member of the primate order, belonging to the Old World monkey family. The genus Papio is comprised of six distinct species, including the Olive baboon. The species was first described by Johann Gotthelf Fischer von Waldheim in 1829. The Olive baboon is considered to be one of the most widespread primate species in Africa, second only to humans.
The Olive baboon, like other baboons, is believed to have evolved from early primates in Africa. Fossil evidence suggests that the genus Papio diverged from other primate lineages around 2 million years ago during the Pleistocene epoch.
Description
The Olive baboon is a large and robust primate, with males typically larger than females. Males can weigh between 24 to 45 kilograms, while females usually weigh between 14 to 20 kilograms. They exhibit significant sexual dimorphism, with males possessing larger canines and a mane of hair around the neck.
The Olive baboon is named for its coat, which, at a distance, is a shade of green-grey. Up close, its coat is multicolored, due to rings of yellow-brown and black on the hair shafts. The face, hands, and feet are hairless and black in color. The skin color is also black.
The Olive baboon has a dog-like muzzle which is common in the Papio genus. This is in contrast to the more flat-faced appearance of other primates. They have a long, pointed, dog-like muzzle too. This adaptation is believed to be a result of their diet, which requires them to do a lot of grinding.
Behavior and Ecology
Olive baboons are diurnal and terrestrial, but they sleep in trees at night. They live in troops that can consist of several dozen individuals. These troops are multi-male, multi-female groups, which are arranged in a complex, hierarchical structure.
Olive baboons are omnivorous with a preference for plants. Their diet consists of leaves, grass, roots, bark, flowers, fruit, lichens, tubers, seeds, mushrooms, corms, and rhizomes. They also eat insects, spiders, birds, eggs, lizards, rodents and hares.
Olive baboons have a wide range of vocalizations, including grunts, barks, screams, and roars. These vocalizations are used for a variety of purposes, including maintaining group cohesion, signaling danger, and expressing dominance.
Reproduction
Female olive baboons reach sexual maturity at around six to eight years of age, while males reach sexual maturity at around seven to ten years. Females have a gestation period of about six months and usually give birth to a single infant.
The mother carries the infant, who clings to her belly. As the infant grows, it begins to ride on her back, clinging to her fur. Infants are weaned at about one year of age, but they may continue to ride on their mothers' backs for up to one more year.
Distribution and Habitat
The Olive baboon is found in 25 countries throughout Africa, extending from Mali in the west to Ethiopia and Tanzania in the east. They inhabit savannas, steppes, and forests, where they have access to water sources.
Conservation Status
The Olive baboon is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Despite being widespread and very adaptable, they are threatened by habitat loss due to agricultural expansion and human settlement.