Baboons are generally found amongst other animals, especially antelope. This helps increase each species awareness to possible danger.
The canine teeth of a fully grown male baboon are larger than those of a cheetah and constitute a formidable defensive and offensive weapon.
They have a wide and varied diet. This includes, but is not limited to, insects, fruit and birds eggs. They will not eat decayed meat, but have been known to supplement their food supply with freshly killed antelope when necessary.
Their life span is approximately forty years, but this age is based on observation in captivity, and is considered to be somewhat less in the wild where predators, shortage of food and water and other adverse conditions diminish their chance of survival.
When little ones are seen among a troop, it is possible to determine their approximate ages at a glance: up to one month old the babies cling to the bottom of their mothers belly; from two to three months old, they sit on her back in front of her tail; after three months they travel independently with the troop.
One distinguishable feature which differentiates between the sexes is that the female lacks the long mane of hair at the back of the neck which is notable on the male.
Because of the strong attachment between females and their off-spring, a mother can sometimes be seen carrying around young which have died a few days previously.
