Baboons roam through southwestern Saudi Arabia
Photo by Alison Cole
Over the last few days we’ve been surprised to see what we first thought were troops of monkeys along the roadside in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
Turns out they are hamadryas baboons, a species of baboon within the Old World monkey family.
Ancient Egyptians believed they were a sacred animal and included them in various religious activities. Today they are extinct in Egypt. These baboons are now native to the Horn of Africa and the Sarawat Mountains in the southwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula, which is where we are seeing them.
I’m a little wary around baboons in general. They can be quite a nuisance in Africa. They’ll break into and ransack a tent if they get so much as a whiff of something as trivial as toothpaste. I have seen them in action in several African campgrounds and tourist locations.
We have been able to enjoy these hamadryas baboons mostly at a distance, although some of my travelling companions have ventured much closer. I also noticed that a few folks were quick to back away.
Photo by Alison Cole
I saw a Saudi family picnicking at one location. As soon as the baboons approached, they packed up the food and blankets, hopped in the car and drove away. They know baboons.
Many thanks to my fellow passengers for the use of their pics. I have contributed only one. No captions except to identify the photographer.
Where to next? 
What amazing pnotographs!
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I’m lucky to be travelling with so many great photographers.
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The first image is beautiful
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It sure is. It looks like it should be in an ad for hair care products.
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We live in an amazing world and share it with remarkable creatures. What an adventure you are on!!!
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Every day brings something new. I’m having trouble keeping up with the blog. 🙂
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They are quite ‘majestic’, but also troublesome, and potentially very dangerous. When I visited Kenya we were advised to avoid them and not to approach them.
Best wishes, Pete.
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That was very good advice. Now you know why I kept my distance
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In America, we have a species of baboon within the New World monkey family. Most of them roam through the halls of Congress or state houses when they’re not too busy playing politics and/or campaigning to get (re)elected. They’re definitely a nuisance, although the Big Baboon refers to some of them as vermin. Unfortunately, we can’t just hop in the car and drive away, as they and their followers seem to be everywhere! 😥
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Brilliant and accurate observation.
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Am laughing mu head off – it’s Saturday morning here in the Southern Highlands and, still sleepy, I am opening a pile of Christmas wishes! The gorgeous looking baboons surely came as a delightful surprise! I can imagine them being nuisances . . . I have not been to Bali but similar four-leggeds there supposedly are quite ‘bitey’ thieves! Fascinating tho!!! And quite a ‘festive season’ for you !! Have fun!!!
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Many thanks. The monkeys of Bali are a nuisance too. They grab things out of your hands and run.
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Some really good portraits here
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I am delighted to showcase them.
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Baboons need to be respected. The picnicking family knew that the better part of valour was to leave. I’ve never personally encountered issues but I’ve seen what they can do. They are so seriously aggressive as well.
Fantastic photos.
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Baboons are dangerous creatures. I was glad the family knew how to react.
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The babies are so cute! Still wouldn’t want to cross them though!
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You are right on both counts.
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What a lovely post with great photos. We had similar experiences with monkeys in Bali . They can be pretty quick with grabbing the camera or handbag.
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At one location, I was surprised to see people feeding the baboons. Just adding to the problem.
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Amazing. I’d be keeping my distance too.
I’m wondering what they eat in a mostly rock-strewn landscape.
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Southwestern Saudi Arabia gets decent rain. It has quite lush surroundings
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I found a scientific article that suggests the hamadryas baboons migrated across the Red Sea where it is narrow at Djibouti during a glacial maximum at low sea levels during the last 100,000 years and also migrated back. They are distributed along the Red Sea coast of Arabia and Yemen and also in a somewhat larger area opposite in Africa. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004724841400181X
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Thanks Murray. I really appreciate your research. My time is so limited while travelling.
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Aggressive or not, they are perfect posers, especially on the edge of the cliffs. A different side to Saudi Arabia.
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They sure are photogenic. It was a great setting too.
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LeggyPeggy,
To many years have passed, since I traveled around Bali. And yes the Monkeys can be aggressive to tourists, grabbing things.
I Googled and came across this temple (neve went to or was aware…).
>>The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary is a nature reserve and temple complex in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. It is also known as the Ubud Monkey Forest. The Sanctuary is home to over 1260 long-tailed macaques, who are considered sacred by the local Balinese people.<<
Second, very fortunate to have some good photographers in your traveling group…. and able to post some very good images.
Sy S.
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Yes, I am joined by many great photographers. I’ve been to that forest in Ubud and had a run-in with monkeys. They won.
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Baboons are quite incredible looking creatures – they look like they have had a go with the hair crimpers!
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I agree. Maybe some haircare product will recruit them for advertising.
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These are amazing Baboons. Anita
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They are amazing and we have seen so many.
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Nice photographs. Lovely baboons. Much nicer than the Chacma Baboon in Southern Africa that always look slightly flea-bitten.
Tony
https://www.breadtagsagas.com/
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Baboons can be a mixed bag all over Africa.
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Leanne Cole has had an excellent photography blog for years. I followed her for some time in the early days. What a joy to see these amazing creatures. The fur on the first photograph – it is outstanding. But they are intimidating creatures – I doubt I would want to have a picnic near free ranging baboons.
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What a coincidence. I am travelling with another Leanne Cole.
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Oh ….okay…
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That is my impression of the tribe. Don’t “mess” with the baboons, people. Good bless ’em.
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Yep, never mess with the baboons.
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Excellent clicks 🙂 Bliss.
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Thanks so much.
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