Hamadryas Baboon (Papio hamadryas) Fact Sheet: Distribution & Habitat

Endemic distribution

• Horn of Africa and southwestern Arabia (Al-Safadi 1994; Biquand et al. 1992; Jolly 1993; Kamal et al. 1994; Kummer 1968b; Kummer et al. 1981)
• In Africa: portions of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan
• Principal populations in Ethiopia
• In Arabia: Saudi Arabia, Yemen

Non-native, Egyptian distribution

• Regionally extinct
• Established by ancient Egyptians (Kummer 1995)
  • Originated from legendary land of Punt; according to historical myth
• Genetic comparison of mummified remains and modern populations may establish location

Diverse range of habitats

• Subdesert, arid brushland, steppe, plain, and savannah
• Associated with high, vertical cliffs across most of their range (Biquand et al. 1992; Kummer 1968b)

Botanical landscape

• Often areas with acacia and opuntia cactus (Biquand et al. 1992; Kummer 1968b)
• Rarely with tall trees (Kummer 1968b)

Dependent on water

• Though found in regions with little annual rainfall (4 in portions of Saudi Arabia) (Biquand et al. 1992)

Altitudinal range

• 0-2,600 m (0-8,450 ft) (Biquand et al. 1992)
• To 3000 m (9,843 ft) in Saudi Arabia (Biquand et al. 1992)

Boundaries

• Intermingle and hybridize with olive baboon (P. anubis) on western edge of  range, and with yellow baboon (P. cynocephalus) on southern edge (Kummer 1968b)

Hamadryas Baboon distribution.

Adapted from www.d-maps.com according to IUCN fact sheet. Click here or on map for detailed distribution (IUCN)

Al-Safadi (1994)
Biquand et al. (1992)
Jolly (1993)
Kamal et al. (1994)
Kummer (1968b)
Kummer (1995)
Kummer et al. (1981)