This gorgeous little fellow's photo was captured at C.A.R.E. this week.... he is a baby chacma baboon born into the wild 'Longtit' troop which roams freely at the sanctuary. This little boy is going through a hair and face colour transformation!
When born, baby chacma baboons have black hair and pink faces, they are affectionately referred to as 'Pink Faces'. After a few months their face begins to darken until it is black like the adult chacmas. The hair changes in stages from black to the golden/grey all over coat worn by the adults, starting with golden eye-brows!
This baby's skin is darkening and upon losing his pink face, with it the 'baby factor' disappears too. Pink-faces are the treasured troop members, helpless and defenseless meaning the whole troop will protect them. When they lose this pink-face status it is time to toughen up and learn their place in the troop. He has a while longer to enjoy the baby status, but in the next few months he will have a golden coat like his mother. Thankfully for this little male, his social troop are well protected living within C.A.R.E.'s boundaries so he can live out his life wild and care-free.
- Photo and Caption by Samantha Dewhirst
