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Papio - Hamadryas Baboon
Topic Started: Nov 10 2014, 08:07 PM (2,129 Views)
Ignacio
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Ex Corrupt Staff

Hamadryas Baboon ~ Papio hamadryas

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General Information

Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Family: Cercopithecidae
Genus: Papio
Species: hamadryas

Location and Habitat
The baboon's range extends from the Red Sea in Eritrea to Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia. Baboons are also native to and live in southwestern Arabia, in both Yemen and Saudi Arabia
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The hamadryas baboon lives in semi-desert areas, savannas and rocky areas, requiring cliffs for sleeping and finding water.

Conservation Status
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Sizes
Weight20 – 30 kg (males) / 10 – 15 kg (females)
Length (average)80 cm (Males) / 45 cm
Tail length40 – 60 cm


In Zoos

Type of Exhibit: Hamadryas Baboon Papio hamadryas enclosure design should include the following:
•This species is found in Africa and they are mainly a terrestrial species so sufficient space must be provided, both horizontally and vertically to enable the animals to exercise, to protect animals from undue dominance or conflict and to provide for their social, breeding and behavioural needs. Sufficient exhibit furniture must be provided to meet the requirements. Perches and logs and swings should be set up so they can swing and jump around.
•Enclosures may be open, semi-enclosed or totally enclosed or consist of islands surrounded by water (moats). Primate enclosures must be constructed so that the enclosed animals can rest at least 2 body lengths above the eye level of any member of the viewing public. Monkey pits are therefore not acceptable housing for any primate species.
•Enclosures (except island enclosures) must be provided with a vestibule or other arrangement to ensure that there are always two doors between the primate enclosure and the building corridor or the outside (an airlock). All doors must open in towards the enclosure. • Primates must be exhibited in a setting which will educate the public about the primate’s natural habitat and provide for its behavioural and physical well-being.
•Make sure they have access to fresh water. Unlike other primates, baboons like water and can swim, so if construction of a moat is used to contain them in the enclosure, external moat walls need to be included.
•They do however like to sleep in rocky outcrops and cliffs at night so part of the enclosure should mimic this sleeping place.
•They are a highly sociable species and require the company of other individuals of the same species as they need sensory stimulation, otherwise they can develop behaviour problems.
•Make sure the enclosure is escape proof. Primates very strong are very smart and should never be underestimated. Therefore lights and any other fittings must be recessed or inaccessible, while nuts and other fasteners should be outside the exhibit and inaccessible or welded closed.
•The substrate provided should be of that found in their natural habitat or of something such as a lot of medium sized pebbles so that natural foraging can be carried out.
•All exhibit enclosures for primates must include living or fresh vegetation. Although in saying this, plants are hard to keep in the enclosure as this species is destructive and therefore destroy all plants in the enclosure. Therefore large cut branches should be provided. If wanting to plant any plants in the enclosure, have an area electric wired off so the plants can grow and then every now and again the electric wire can be turned off and the baboons can have access to plants.
•A night-house or sleeping area still has to be provided which is thermo-regulated either using an air-conditioning unit or heat lamps. Hamadryas Baboons Papio hamadryas do not need bedding material because in the wild they sleep on rocky outcrops or cliffs. In the night-houses, perches to sit on at different levels may be provided and individuals may bring in logs or sticks as they please.
•Routine management enclosures must be able to be connected to the exhibit area to allow animals to be moved easily between them. The design must minimise the risk that animals can be cornered and attacked by another. Connections must allow the animals to use their normal methods of locomotion, e.g. arboreal species require raised raceways.
•If possible they must be housed where they have visual, auditory and olfactory contact with the rest of the group. Individuals must not be housed long term in isolation from others.
Furniture / enrichment: in general, enclosures must be furnished with horizontal, vertical and sloping pathways, shelves and perches above ground level. Perches can be made of natural branches and swings made from chain and tyres. They should be at different levels and can act as protection from the weather. tree stumps, boulders and large concrete water pipes can be added, which act as shelters and perches. There must be areas within the exhibit for any animal to withdraw from the group, (e.g. to hide from an aggressor) and from the public. This may be provided by visual barriers. Visual barriers should have escape routes so that animals cannot be trapped by an aggressor. Things such as large concrete half pipes are good for this. Changing or moving of furniture should be done to stimulate inquisitive behaviour. Extra climbing equipment can be added or removed e.g. ladders, platforms, barrels with holes in them, but they need to be secure. Slippery slides can be added for enrichment.

Temperament: Hamadryas baboons are quadrupedal (having four feet), diurnal (active during
the day) and mostly terrestrial (spend most of their time on the ground).

Diet: The hamadryas baboon is omnivorous and is adapted to its relatively dry habitat. During the wet seasons, the baboon feeds on a variety of foods, including blossoms, seeds, grasses, wild roots, and leaves from acacia trees. During the dry season, the baboons eat leaves of the Dobera glabra and sisal leaves. Hamadryas baboon also eat insects, reptiles and small mammals. One was even observed carrying a dead dik dik. The baboons’ drinking activities also depend on the season. During the wet seasons, the baboons do not have to go far to find pools of water. During the dry seasons, they frequent up to three permanent waterholes.

In captivity exhibitors must provide diversity in the taste, colour, size and nutritional value of
food items fed to primates. Food offered must meet the nutritional requirements of the
species as determined by the natural diet in the wild. Commercial monkey diets must
be supplemented with fresh items such as fruits, raw vegetables and browse on a daily
basis.

Social Needs: The baboon has an unusual four-level social system called a multilevel society. Most social interaction occurs within small groups called one-male units or harems containing one male and up to ten females which the males lead and guard. A harem will typically include a younger "follower" male who may be related to the leader. Two or more harems unite repeatedly to form clans. Bands are the next level. Two to four clans form bands of up to 200 individuals which usually travel and sleep as a group. Both males and females rarely leave their bands. The dominant males will prevent infants and juveniles from interacting with infants and juveniles from other bands. Bands may fight with one another over food, etc., and the adult male leaders of the units are usually the combatants. Bands also contain solitary males that are not harem leaders or followers and move freely within the band. Several bands may come together to form a troop. Several bands in a troop also often share a cliff-face where they sleep. The hamadryas baboon is unusual among baboon and macaque species in that its society is strictly patriarchal. The males limit the movements of the females, herding them with visual threats and grabbing or biting any that wander too far away. Females within a harem do not display any dominance relationships as seen in other many other baboon and macaque species. The harem males suppress aggression between the females and prevent any dominance hierarchies from arising. As in all primates, P. hamadryas can spend a significant amount of time engaged in social grooming. Social grooming is thought to help develop and maintain social bonds between animals. Most social grooming is performed by females and is directed toward the leader of the One Male Unit (OMU). Other forms of tactile communication in this species include reassuring touches and embraces, as well as a variety of agonistic bites and slaps.

Reproduction: Reproductive behaviour in P. hamadryas is closely tied to social organisation. With the
basic breeding unit of the OMU, the leader male aggressively herds females, keeping them from straggling during the foraging march, and preventing them from socialising with other males. Females typically spend
most of their social time in proximity to the leader male. This gives him the right to breed with her and only her as well as the rest of his females. Most social grooming within the OMU is focused on the leader male, with females grooming him, especially his mane, face, and buttocks.The pelage characters of males can therefore be thought of as strong mate attractants, and seem to function in the maintenance of the OMU. Females do most of the parenting. They nurse and groom the infant and one female in a unit may groom an infant that is not hers. Like all baboons, hamadryas baboons are intrigued by their infants and give much attention to them. Dominant male baboons prevent other males from coming into close contact with their infants. They also protect the young from predators. The dominant male tolerates the young and will carry and play with them.

Extra Information:
  • The hamadryas baboon was a sacred animal to the ancient Egyptians and appears in various roles in ancient Egyptian religion, hence its alternative name of 'sacred baboon'.
  • Astennu, attendant to Thoth, is represented as a hamadryas in his roles as recorder of the result of the Weighing of the Heart and as one of the four hamadryas baboons guarding the lake of fire in Duat, the ancient Egyptian underworld.
  • Visual threats are usually accompanied by these aggressive fights. This would include a quick flashing of the eyelids accompanied by a yawn to show off the teeth.
  • When males reach puberty, they show interest in mothering young infants. They will kidnap the infants by luring them away from their harems and inviting them to ride on their backs. This is more often done by "follower" males. This kidnapping can lead to dehydration or starvation for the infant. The harem leader would retrieve the infants from their kidnappers, which is mostly an act to protect their offspring.
  • Transformation of field and pastureland represents the main threat to the hamadryas baboon; its only natural predators are the Striped hyena, Spotted hyena and African leopard who are still living in its area of distribution.


Exhibit Examples


Extra Pictures

Edited by Ignacio, Nov 10 2014, 10:33 PM.
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