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Baboon are African and Arabian Old world monkeys belonging to the genus Papio, part of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. They range in size and weight depending on species. All Baboon have long muzzles, incredibly strong jaws with sharp canine teeth and thick fur with rough spots on their pronounced buttocks. These are called Ischial Callosities. They are hairless and nerveless parts of skin that are designed for the sitting comfort of the Baboon.
Baboon vary in size and weight depending on the species. The smallest, the Kinda Baboon, is 50 cm (20 in) in length and weighs only 14 kg (31 lb), while the largest, the Chacma Baboon, is up to 120 cm (47 in) in length and weighs 40 kg (88 lb). All Baboon have long, dog-like muzzles, heavy, powerful jaws with sharp canine teeth, close-set eyes, thick fur except on their muzzles and short tails. Male Hamadryas Baboon have large white manes. Baboons exhibit sexual dimorphism in size, colour and/or canine teeth development.
Baboon are omnivores that consume anything from lizards to bird eggs. They are notorious predators, primarily taking the lives of new-born antelope and Leopard cubs. They will eat anything considered to be alive. Southern Africa is home to two of Africa’s six Baboon species, the Yellow Baboon and Chacma Baboon.
For the most part, Baboon live in groups called troops, group sizes are typically around 50 animals, but can vary between 5 and 250, depending on species, location and time of year. They will clean each other’s coats from dirt, mites, lice, and ticks. The male Baboon is the alpha and will fight to protect his position. They are nimble climbers who can escape danger by scurrying up trees.
Baboon are ground dwelling, eat during the day and sleep in trees, or on high cliffs or rocks at night, away from predators. They are omnivorous and their diet consists of a variety of plants and animals. Their principal predators are Nile Crocodile, Leopard, Lion and Hyena.
Most Baboon live in hierarchical troops containing harems. Baboon can determine from vocal exchanges what the dominance relations are between individuals. Their calls are considered dramatic and are loud enough to be heard for miles. When a confrontation occurs between different families or where a lower-ranking Baboon takes the offensive, Baboon show more interest in this exchange than those between members of the same family or when a higher-ranking Baboon takes the offensive. This is because confrontations between different families or rank challenges can have a wider impact on the whole troop than an internal conflict in a family or a Baboon reinforcing its dominance.
In general, each male can mate with any female; the mating order among the males depends partly on their social rank. Females typically give birth after a six-month gestation, usually to one infant. The females tend to be the primary caretaker of the young, although several females may share the duties for all of their offspring. Offspring are weaned after about a year. They reach sexual maturity around five to eight years. Males leave their birth group, usually before they reach sexual maturity, whereas most females stay in the same group for their lives.
Baboon in captivity live up to 45 years, while in the wild they average between 20 and 30 years.
Baboon are very adaptable and are found in various habitats such as savannah, open woodland or hills. If there is water available and a safe sleeping place, such as tall trees, the Baboon will find the habitat fit to reside in. Baboon are found across sub-Saharan Africa, from Ethiopia to South Africa; Hamadryas Baboon occupy the semi-desert and rocky areas of Northeast Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Along the Drakensberg you can find Baboon in the forests, semi-deserts, and sub-alpine meadows. Most of their time is devoted to activities on the floor. They only venture into trees when they need to escape and hide from larger predators, find food, or sleep for the night. They could also spend the night atop massive rock formations.
Baboon taxidermy is the art of preserving the Baboon’s skin and other body parts to produce lifelike sculptures for display, either at home as a hunting trophy or in museums for educational purposes. Skin is preserved and mounted on an artificial armature to display the specimen.
The contemporary English word “taxidermy” is derived from the Greek terms taxis, meaning “movement,” and derma, meaning “skin,” thereby combining these two meanings. This is why, in a broad sense, taxidermy is synonymous with “the motion of skin.”
For expert taxidermists, skills in sculpture, painting, and sketching are just as important as those in carpentry, woodworking, tanning, moulding, and casting.
The remaining parts of the body are synthetic replacements for real organs and tissues. Polyurethane foam is used for the manikin or form, which includes the anatomy of every muscle and vein; glass is used for the eyes; clay is used for the eyelids; for the nose and mouth the foam of the mannequin is sculptured.
Works of taxidermy can be found in a wide range of environments, including museums, classrooms, galleries, stores, restaurants, and private households, due to the complexity and delicate craftsmanship involved in the taxidermy process.
Thorough preparation is the key factor to ensuring a high-quality final product. All hides are tanned and oiled using the world’s very best available chemicals and processes to ensure permanence and longevity. Forms are selected to ensure the best fit and posture will be altered to suit you, the client’s preference without additional cost. Natural habitat bases are custom-made for full mount trophies without additional cost. Only the finest materials and 40 years of professional experience are used in defining your trophies in a whole new way. The final trophies are almost Life-Formed. When the restoration is required, every effort is made to repair cuts and abrasions, and to minimise bullet damage. Natural scarring is kept unless otherwise requested.
When making an Baboon mount, careful planning is key to getting a high-quality result. When tanning and oiling the skins, only the best chemicals and methods are used. This ensures that the skins will last for many years.
Your preferred form for the Baboon will be chosen after taking your measurements into account, and the posture of your form will be changed at no extra cost. Full-mount Baboon trophies come with bases made to look like the animal’s natural habitat and made just for the Baboon mount.
The taxidermy process at Life-Form takes your prized Baboon trophy and gives it a whole new meaning by using only the best materials and drawing on more than 40 years of experience in the field.
When repair is needed, every effort is made to fix cuts and scrapes and lessen bullet damage. Existing scars are left alone unless the client asks for them to be taken away.
Using the helpful tips below, it’s important to take extra care of your prized Baboon trophy to make sure it stays in perfect shape for years to come.
The pricing of any trophy is subject to the costing stipulated per taxidermy order, quantity of trophies and preferred mounting options, along with additional requirements.
Should you wish to receive a quotation prior to the hunt, the taxidermist can generate such for you. Please contact [email protected]
Taxidermy is an art form that involves a complicated step-by-step process to make sure that each trophy looks just right and is of a high enough quality that it will last your whole life.
The time it takes a taxidermist to mount an animal might range from days to weeks, and possibly several months, depending on the quantity of trophies per taxidermy order, the display preferences, and volumes of client trophies to be produced, simultaneously, per production schedule.
This depends largely on the “what, how, when” factors. A taxidermy order also only becomes available for production scheduling upon receipt of the required deposit and trophy mounting instructions.
