What is life like for a juvenile baboon?
A baboon is considered a juvenile from ages 1-5. After a year, their hair starts to lighten to a brownish gray colour, they go through a growth spurt, and grow by about half a kilogram every three months.
Life is all about play for juvenile baboons. They hang out in groups of similar age and have a lot of boisterous fun. It’s not just about entertainment though. Play hones their physical strength and skills, and also teaches them valuable social lessons.
Older juveniles will take on baby-sitting duties for newly weaned infants, and will protect them if a fight breaks out in the troop.
These are also prime years for learning what is safe and dangerous, which foods are good or not, and how to successfully navigate the social rules of their troop.