Papio baboons are large primates known for their dog-like muzzles, powerful limbs, and expressive faces. They inhabit savannas, woodlands, and hills across Africa. Highly social, they live in troops governed by complex hierarchies. Notable for their intelligence, they use vocalizations and gestures for communication and are crucial in seed dispersal.

Papio, commonly known as baboons, are native to the African continent. They are primarily found in sub-Saharan Africa, with their range extending from the western parts of Africa, including countries such as Senegal and Gambia, to the eastern regions like Ethiopia and Somalia, and down to the southern regions, including South Africa. They are absent in the dense tropical forests of Central Africa.

Baboons inhabit a variety of environments, but they are most commonly found in savannas, open woodlands, and hills across Africa. These regions typically have a warm climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. The savannas feature grasslands with scattered trees and shrubs, providing both open spaces for foraging and trees for safety and shelter.

Baboons are highly adaptable omnivores, and their ecological niche involves foraging for a diverse diet that includes fruits, seeds, leaves, roots, and occasionally small animals. They are terrestrial and spend much of their time on the ground, though they can climb trees. Baboons play a crucial role in seed dispersal and maintaining the balance of their ecosystems by controlling the populations of smaller animals through predation.