Where does the olive baboon live?
The olive baboon is the most wide-ranging baboon: it is native to 25 African countries, from Mali to Ethiopia and Tanzania. Isolated populations also live in some mountainous regions of the Sahara. It inhabits savannas, steppes and forests. Grasslands near open woodland make up a large part of its habitat, but it also lives in rainforests and deserts.
What does the olive baboon eat?
The olive baboon lives in groups of 15 to 150, made up of a few males, many females and their young. Related females form subgroups and are the core of the social system: a daughter's rank is largely inherited from her mother's. When a group grows too large it may split because of competition for resources, but members of the same female line tend to stay together. It communicates in many ways, with and without voice.
Is the olive baboon endangered?
No: the IUCN lists it as Least Concern, because the species is widespread and numerous, and not facing a range-wide decline. Like most baboons, it is often exterminated as a pest, for raiding crops and preying on small livestock.
