Scientific name -- Papio spp.
Size -- 30-87 lbs.
Diet -- leaves, flowers, roots, small animals

Five species of baboon live in Africa. They live in brush, grasslands or rocky country. Unlike true monkeys, baboons spend most of their time on the ground. Their tail is not prehensile. Baboons are powerful fighters and show little fear of other animals, including humans. All baboons have strong and complex hierarchies within family groups. 

The Hamadryas baboon was particularly sacred to ancient Egyptians, and portrayed as the servants of Thoth. Thoth himself was sometimes portrayed as a baboon sitting on scales. In Saqqara, more than 100 olive baboon mummies have been found, but no Hamadryus baboons.