Yellow Baboons
Papio Cynocephalus
- Length 100cm (without tail)
- Weight 25kg
- Breeding No specific season
- Gestation 5 – 6 months
- Longevity 30 years in captivity
The Yellow Baboon so-called due to the yellowish tinge to its fur, is established extensively throughout the South Luangwa National Park.
On first sight it could be perceived, that they live in a disorganised community, full of domestic squabbles. They do, however, partake in a strict disciplined society where each member of the group knows his or her status, ruled over by an elite group of elders.
If a member of the community tries to create a disturbance in the
balance of power then they are taken to task by more dominant males
who gang up against the delinquent, which normally results in an explosion
of screaming. These family disputes are not to be mistaken for an
alarm call, such as when a lion or leopard is seen. The real alarm
call is a deep dog-like bark emitted by larger males from their lookout
perches.
The degree of dominance among the ruling members of the clan is shown by the angle at which they hold up their tails: the higher the angle the more dominant the male.
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