Hamadryas baboons roam the semi-deserts of northeast Africa and the Arabian peninsula, but never stray far from watering holes or the cliffs where they sleep. Hamadryas baboon society is intriguing: it is highly organised into groups with a male leader who herds and controls up to 10 females and their young. These one male units come together to form clans, multiple clans form a band, and an aggregation of bands forms a troop - there really is safety in numbers. The ancient Egyptians considered hamadryas baboons to be sacred, however, they are now extinct in Egypt.

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