Africa Beautiful Africa 9 - by @mambaman

The Chacma baboon of South Africa.

In South Africa we find 5 species of primates. Two types of Bushbaby, two types of Monkey and the Chacma Baboon.

I took this photo in the Kruger National Park, showing the affectionate side of these sociable animals. They live in troops of a few in number to troops of over 100 members. They have a strict hierarchy and younger Baboons are disciplined severely if they step out of line by the older and more dominant males. You can often find them by hearing the screams of the younger ones being disciplined.

They enjoy a wide range of habitats and are found throughout South Africa except for the desert areas on the West Coast and in the dry central Karoo.

They can often be seen on the main roads on the outskirts of Cape Town.

They are also found in all of the Mountain Ranges of South Africa.

The ones in the high Drakensberg Mountains have a longer coat to keep them warm in this environment where in the winter it gets bitterly cold.

It is always a joy to encounter them whilst hiking and they normally keep a safe distance from you.

In built up areas they can become a dangerous pest as they lose their fear of man and can become aggressive.