ABSTRACT
Baboons are part of the larger taxonomic group of Old World monkeys and remain one of the most iconic and easily recognized of the African primates. There are presently five recognized species of baboons: olive (Papio anubis), yellow (Papio cynocephalus), hamadryas (Papio hamadryas), Guinea (Papio papio), and chacma (Papio ursinus). As with other species of nonhuman primates, baboon behavior can be organized into a number of categories, namely aggressive behavior, submissive behavior, reconciliation, displacement behavior, friendly behavior and grooming. As with other species of captive nonhuman primates, baboons can develop a variety of abnormal behaviors in captivity. Positive reinforcement training involves rewarding an animal for a desired behavior, thus increasing the chance that the behavior will occur again. Environmental enrichment provides behavioral choices to animals, promotes species-typical behavior, and promotes psychological well-being. Enrichment for captive nonhuman primates can be divided into five different categories: social, nutritional, occupational, sensory, and physical, with many enrichment items falling into multiple categories.
