Although feeding the baboons is strictly forbidden, some visitors cannot resist the temptation of such a photo opportunity. The social order among these animals allows the highest in rank to eat first and the lower members get their turn only after him. Consequently a human who feeds the baboons is perceived to be low in the hierarchy, an assumption which is generalized and extended to the whole human race. As a result, the baboons have come to expect any human to feed them and - on refusal - become aggressive, steal food and even attack people. A sad consequence of this is that such baboons frequently have to be shot by rangers.

Baboon

One comes across baboons in many parts of southern Africa. They are not confined to game reserves and prefer rocky mountain areas. They are characterized by red callosities at the bottom and the typical position of the tail, the first third of which is held straight upwards, while the rest is hanging down. Baboons live in hordes of 20 to 100 animals in a strict hierarchy with one leading male and a few subordinate males. They are omnivorous and mainly live on insects, mice, lizards, berries and wild fruit.