Chacma Baboon - Habitat and Distribution

Habitat and Distribution

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 subspecies 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.

The Chacma baboon inhabits a wide array of habitats, from the grassy alpine slopes of the Drakensberg to the Kalahari desert. It 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. One incident of a Chacma baboon killing a human infant has been reported, but the event is so rare, the locals believed it was due to witchcraft. Normally, Chacma baboons will flee at the approach of humans, though this is changing due to the easy availability of food near interaction with humans.