Baboon Species Profile: Troop Life and Where to See Olive and Yellow Baboons

Baboons are common along roads and in lodge grounds across East Africa, which makes them easy to watch. Their social life is complex, with alliances, rivalries and constant grooming.

This profile covers identification, social structure and viewing.

This guide is part of our animals of Uganda and East Africa guide. When you are ready to plan, see our Uganda safari packages or the Ameera Africa Safaris Uganda tours homepage.

Identification

Olive baboons, common in Uganda and Kenya, have greenish-grey fur and a long dog-like muzzle. Yellow baboons, found in parts of Kenya and Tanzania, are slimmer with paler yellowish fur. Males are much larger than females and have sharp canines. Infants are born dark and develop adult coats within months. See baboons of Uganda for local details.

Troop Structure

A troop may include dozens of baboons, with multiple males and many females. Females form long-term bonds, and rank passes through family lines. Males compete for status and form alliances. Grooming reinforces social ties and reduces tension.

Diet and Foraging

Baboons are omnivores, eating grasses, fruit, seeds, insects, eggs and occasionally small animals. They forage on the ground, often covering several kilometres in a day, and return to safe sleeping sites at night. Their flexibility lets them live near people.

Intelligence and Communication

They use a range of calls, facial expressions and gestures. Alarm barks warn of leopards and other threats. Baboons learn from experience and quickly recognise places where food can be found, which causes friction with people.

Conflict and Safety

Never feed baboons, since it makes them bold and can lead to bites. Keep food out of sight, close tent flaps and vehicle windows and do not display teeth or stare at males. Their canines are formidable.

Where to See Baboons

Baboons are common in Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls and around forest edges near Kibale Forest. In Kenya and Tanzania they are found in most savannah parks. For other primates, see primates and gorillas.

Reading Baboon Behaviour

Spend a few minutes watching a troop and you will begin to read it. Mothers carry infants clinging beneath them, and older infants ride on the back like jockeys. Juveniles wrestle and chase while adults sit in groups grooming, picking through fur for parasites and salt. A raised tail, a stare and a sharp bark may signal a dominant male asserting his place. Subordinates respond with lip-smacking or looking away. Sentinels in trees scan for leopards, and an alarm call sends the whole troop into the safety of branches. Because baboons are so tolerant of vehicles, they are an excellent subject for learning about primate society before trekking to see chimpanzees or gorillas elsewhere in Uganda. Their ability to use many habitats explains why they thrive from lodge gardens to open woodland.

Photography and Related Species

Capture grooming, play and mothers carrying infants. Use patience and a long lens, as described in safari photography tips. Compare with the warthog that often feeds beside baboons.

Planning a Uganda safari? Send us your dates and we will build the route, permits and transport around what you want to see.

Related Tours, Guides and Resources

• Ameera Africa Safaris homepage: Uganda safaris, tours and holidays
• Uganda safari packages
• Uganda travel guide
• How to book a Uganda safari
• Plan your safari with our team