The three primates have flown across the country in style, in their own custom travel crates filled with delicious snacks. 

Once in their new home at Melbourne Zoo, dominant male Chad will play a crucial role in the regional breeding program and hopefully sire some bouncing baby baboons.  

Not only is this animal transfer critical for the overarching conservation of the species, but it’s a welfare win for our three individual baboons. 

Baboons have a very specific social hierarchy where one dominant male will live with multiple females in a harem, and often multiple harems live alongside each other. 

With Chad needed to play a role in the breeding program, it’s important we also transfer the remaining two baboons, Guni and Grimus, to ensure they can live in a nice big troop. 

Perth Zoo Primate Keeper Toby Ewing said: “Our three baboons are great animals to work with and we are certainly going to miss them, but this move is one to be celebrated!

“Having Chad, Guni and Grimus join a much larger troop with other baboons of diverse ages will be a very enriching experience for them. 

“And hopefully once they’ve settled, we’ll hear the good news that Chad is having success with his breeding efforts – I’m sure he’ll quickly become the mane attraction for his new baboon friends!”

Saving wildlife is a collaborative effort and one we can’t do on our own. That’s why Perth Zoo is proud to be a ZAA accredited zoo, working with zoos and wildlife parks around the nation and beyond on coordinated conservation programs.

We will miss the cheeky antics of the three baboons but know that they will be in the care of experts with our friends at Melbourne Zoo. 

Bon voyage, baboons!