A large African monkey, the Baboon is characterised by her relatively short tail and heavy body. Unlike most monkeys, she prefers the terrestrial life and lives in the savannah and open woodland of Africa. One adaptation to this life are the fleshy calluses about the buttocks. These are nerveless and hairless and provide a sort of portable, built-in cushion.
She lives in a large troop, comprising of a mix of males and females, young and old, with a set hierachy. Together they forage across their range, feasting on a diet that mostly consists of vegetation, but also includes the occasional insect, reptile, lizard - or even other mammals, including vervet monkeys.
Rather long-lived creatures, baboons do not reach breeding maturity until 8 or 9 years old and can live to be 30.
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