The Guinea Baboon (Papio papio) is a terrestrial primate monkey in the Cercopithecidae family. It is not an ape, because apes do not have tails. The Guinea Baboon is a monkey, because monkeys have tails. It is related to the Hamadryas Baboon and the Savanna Baboon.
The Guinea Baboon has thick, rough, reddish-brown fur with a dark blackish hairless face surrounded by a small mane. It has small ears and a dark dog-like protruding snout (nose). Its canine teeth are long and sharp. It has a long tail.It has rough patches on its buttocks, called ischial callosities, that provide a pad for sitting.
It grows to 55-75 centimetres (22-30 inches) tall.
It is native to west Africa in countries such as Guinea, Senegal, Gambia, western Mali, and southern Mauritania.
The Guinea Baboon prefers bush savannas and dry forests. It is terrestrial, living on the ground (not in trees), but it sleeps in trees at night. It is diurnal, because it is active during the day.
It is omnivorous, eating fruit, grass, seeds, leaves, nuts, insects, and small animals. Its predators include the crocodile, lion, hyena, leopard, and cheetah.
The Guinea Baboon lives in troops of 5-250 individuals. The male competes for dominance in the troop. Different troops avoid each other, staying in their own territorial space.
The female Guinea Baboon is pregnant for about 180 days before giving birth to one live young. The young baboon stays close to its mother, riding on her back. It is independent when it is about a year old.
It lives, on average, for 25-25 years.
Location of photographs: Parc Zoologique de Paris in Bois de Vincennes, France
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM