Chacma Baboon: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Monkeys of Africa and Asia · day 3 of 7

Five facts

1. The mandrill often gets the crown, yet the chacma seems to be the biggest monkey living today.
2. It eats almost anything, from bulbs to grubs. At the Cape of Good Hope, chacmas even pick shellfish off the shore.
3. Each morning one baboon sets off and the rest decide whether to follow. They tend to follow close friends rather than the boss.
4. Orphaned babies are often adopted. Their carers, usually youngsters of four or five, carry, groom and protect them.
5. Unusually for baboons, chacmas form few strong bonds with their own sex. Their closest friendships are between unrelated males and females.

The quiz

1. Which title does the chacma baboon appear to hold?

• The smallest monkey
• The largest monkey alive (correct)
• The fastest tree climber
• The longest-lived primate

Though the mandrill often gets the crown, the chacma appears to be the largest living monkey.

2. What do some chacma baboons at the Cape of Good Hope eat?

• Shellfish from the shore (correct)
• Only grass
• Nothing but bark
• Only farm fruit

There they are known for taking shellfish and other small sea creatures.

3. In the morning, which baboon is the troop most likely to follow?

• Always the top-ranking male
• Always the oldest female
• Whoever is the hungriest
• One they are closely bonded with (correct)

Rank matters little here: they follow the baboons they are close to.

4. Who usually takes care of orphaned chacma babies?

• Only the top male
• Nobody, they fend for themselves
• Young troop members of four or five (correct)
• Only grandmothers

Nearly all carers are young baboons just four or five years old.

5. Between whom are the strongest bonds in a chacma troop?

• Between brothers
• Between unrelated males and females (correct)
• Between sisters
• Between rival males

Chacmas rarely bond with their own sex; their closest ties link unrelated males and females.

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