The baboon mother and child are closely bonded with the mother being ever watchful over her baby.

Although we do not have a resident troop of baboons on Leopard Walk Lodge from time a lone male would be passing through our reserve. Baboons live on the ground and like both grasslands and hillsides. They prey on various small types of game. They have a lifespan of about 30 years in the wild. In turn they themselves are preyed on by various large predators, such as leopard and lion and other carnivores such as hyenas and even crocodiles.

These terrestrial mammals carry their babies during gestation for 6 months when only one baby is born. After birth the baby will be cared for mainly by its mother although females sometimes share responsibility of guarding a group of young. As the a female baboon matures it will remain with her mother and the rest of the clan but the males will leave.

Baboons are very intelligent animals and have been known to have orthographic processing skills that form part of the ability to read.