At first, it appeared as one of the few relatively nondescript stretches of road that I encountered in Queen Elizabeth National Park in western Uganda, referred to, depending on which specific portion of the stretch you’re driving on, as the Ishasha road, or the Rwenshana road. It’ll forever be etched in my mind as Uganda’s Baboon Boulevard.

From a distance they first appear as small bobbing dots on the macadam horizon that multiply exponentially as you draw nearer. By the time you realize that you’re staring at and driving head on into an extended family of Olive Baboons, they take on the look of a group out of Occupy Uganda, fanning out in protest to block your way.

That gradually melds into the scene below, one that could have been lifted from the Planet of the Apes franchise (albeit, with baboons). It becomes very clear that this is their territory, their home. Even as they scamper down through narrow openings in the brush along even narrower paths as you approach, the momentary eye contact of a final wayward glance lets you know that you’re the visitor, the interloper. They’re in charge.

Named for their green-gray coats, Olive baboons (Papio anubis) are among the most wide-ranging of the Old World monkeys, found in a strip of 25 African countries that stretch along or near the equator, nearly coast to coast. They can live in groups of 15 to 150, and are made up mostly of females and their young. Over a half mile stretch of road we probably encountered at least 80 or so; most didn’t seem as excited to see us as we were to see them, but quite a few played along, posing for photos before disappearing into the forest or, at the very least, like this trio, sitting and moping in the slight but steady rain.

The most animated was this juvenile who for whatever reason seemed to think I was eyeing his dinner. I wasn’t.

Eight more images below.

Olive Baboon in brief (with assist from WordPress AI but double-checked by me at Birds of the World and Wikipedia):

• Latin Name: Papio anubis
• Size:
  • Males: 76 – 111 cm (30 – 44 in)
  • Females: 60 – 90 cm (24 – 35 in)
• Weight:
  • Males: 14 – 37 kg (31 – 82 lbs)
  • Females: 7 – 14 kg (15 – 31 lbs)
• Diet: Omnivorous; primarily fruits, seeds, leaves, and occasionally small animals.
• Habitat: Found in a variety of environments from savannas to woodlands across 25 African countries, including:
  • East Africa: Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania
  • West Africa: Senegal, Mali, Nigeria
  • Central Africa: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon
• Physical Description:
  • Olive-green to brown fur with a lighter underside
  • Long snout and heavy jaws
  • Males have a distinctive mane and larger size than females
• Differences with Similar Species:
  • Distinguished from other baboons by its olive-green fur and more slender build.
  • Olive baboons have a less pronounced canine size compared to hamadryas baboons.
• Breeding:
  • Breeding occurs year-round; females have a gestation period of about 6 months.
  • Social hierarchies influence mating; dominant males have greater access to females.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern (IUCN); their populations are stable but threatened by habitat loss.
• Primary Predators: Lions, leopards, and snakes pose threats, especially to young baboons.
• Unique Behaviors:
  • Highly social animals, live in troops of 15 to 150 individuals.
  • Utilize vocalizations and facial expressions for complex communication.
  • Demonstrate tool-use behaviors such as using sticks to extract insects from crevices.

Previously posted on on 4 April 2017 on my old website, Piran Café, which was hacked and is no longer active, and moved here on 17 July 2026 with reprocessed and additional images. I hope all these baboons are doing well.