The Chacma baboon (Papio ursinus), also known as the Cape baboon, is, like all other baboons, from the Old World monkey family. The Chacma is generally dark brown to gray in color, with a patch of rough hair on the nape of its neck. Unlike the northern baboon species (the Guinea, Hamadryas, and Olive baboons), Chacma males do not have a mane. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of this baboon is its long, downward sloping face. Males can have canine teeth as long as 2 inches (longer than a lion's canine teeth). Baboons are sexually dimorphic, males being considerably larger than females.
The Chacma baboon is found in southern Africa, ranging from South Africa north to Angola, Zambia, and Mozambique. Size and color vary within that range. The Cape Chacma (P. ursinus ursinus) from southern South Africa is a large, heavy, dark brown baboon with black feet. Another subspecies, the Gray-footed Chacma (P. u. griseipes), is present from northern South Africa to southern Zambia. It is slightly smaller than the Cape Chacma, lighter in color and build, and has gray feet. The Ruacana Chacma (P. u. ruacana) is found in Namibia and southern Angola, and generally appears to be a smaller, less darkly colored version of the Cape Chacma.
Chacma Baboon | |
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Baboons grooming | |
Range |
Throughout southern africa in a multitide of habitats. |
Size |
Weight: 15-31kgs Length:115 cms Hieght: Same as length |
Diet |
Omnivorus. It has a prefrence fruit but also eats small verterbrates, insects and grass. |
Weapons and Traits |
Large canine teeth, is quite intelligent. |
Battle Status |
On hold will compete against the Bobcat |
Chacmas usually live in social groups composed of multiple adult males, adult females, and their offspring. Occasionally, however, very small groups form that include only a single adult male and several adult females.Chacma troops are characterized by a dominance hierarchy. Female ranking within the troop is inherited through the mother and remains quite fixed, while male ranking is often in flux, especially when the dominant male is replaced. Chacmas are unusual among baboons in that neither males nor females form strong relationships with members of the same sex. Instead, the strongest social bonds are often between unrelated adult males and females. Infanticide is also common compared to other baboons species, as newly dominant males will often attempt to kill young baboons sired by the previously dominant male. When a female is lactating her ovaries freeze and she cannot be impregnated. She may spend 9 months suckling an infant while the alpha baboon only holds this position for 2 years. Some males do not carry out infanticide, accepting the situation and mating with the few fertile females but others will maximise their reproductive success, killing infants who are not his, bring all the females back into season and sire as many infants as possible in his short tenureship as alpha male. In some communities, a third of all infants are killed in these takeovers. Females may seek out males who are not interested in mating with them, forge friendships with these males by grooming each other, and use them as bodyguards to babysit and defend their infants from other males. Infants born to mother's with these male friends have a much higher likelihood of survival. The female may eventually mate with these male friends, possibly as a bid to select gentler males who are less of a threat to their offspring. These friendships are the most enduring relationship among chacma baboons. Most female baboons only suckle infants for roughly a year, but drakensberg mountain range females suckle their infants for 2 years, as edible foods are so scarce. Because of this, 95% of their infants reach adulthood, compared to the 55% of infants surviving in other chacma baboons communities. Baboon troops possess a complex group behavior and communicate by means of body attitudes, facial expressions, vocalisations and touch. Males use "WAHOO" screams with different inflections to warn others of various predators. They respond differently depending on the predator. Lions have them flee to the trees, leopards are mobbed by males, birds of prey involve adults shielding infants and humans cause them to run across the ground but avoid climbing trees where they could be cornered.
Chacmas inhabit a wide array of habitats, from the grassy alpine slopes of the Drakensberg to the Kalahari desert. The Chacma baboon is omnivorous with a preference for fruits, while also eating insects, seeds, grass and smaller vertebrate animals. The Chacma baboon is generally a scavenger when it comes to game meat and rarely engages in hunting large animals. There has been one incident where a Chacma baboon has killed a human infant, however the event is so rare the locals believed it was due to witchcraft. Normally Chacma baboons will flee at the approach of humans. This has been changing due to the easy availability of food where there is interaction with humans.