A group of baboons is most often called a congress, a term that pokes fun at the loud, chaotic, highly social nature of baboon life by borrowing language usually reserved for political assemblies.
Baboons are some of the most intensely social primates in Africa, living in large, complex groups with constant negotiation, alliance-building, and, yes, noise. That social intensity has inspired a wide range of collective nouns, from the formal-sounding “congress” to the internet-famous “flange.”
What Is a Group of Baboons Called?
The classic, most frequently cited term is a congress of baboons, a wry nod to the vocal, hierarchical, sometimes squabbling nature of baboon groups. Scientifically, researchers studying baboons almost always use troop instead, the standard term in field studies and academic literature for the stable, female-centered social groups baboons actually form in the wild.
Other Collective Nouns for Baboons
Several other names circulate alongside congress and troop:
- Troop — the standard scientific term, describing a baboon group’s core of related females and its shifting male membership
- Tribe — a more general, older term applied to primate groups and other social animals
- Rumpus — a playful, noise-focused term reflecting how loud and chaotic baboon groups can sound
- Troupe — a theatrical spin on “troop,” used more for its wordplay than any documented tradition
- Flange — a recent, internet-famous coinage that spread widely online despite having no real historical basis
Where Did the Name Come From?
Baboons are native to Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, so like giraffes and camels, their collective nouns didn’t come from the 15th-century Book of Saint Albans or other medieval English hunting terminology, which focused on animals found in the British countryside. “Congress” is a later invention, most likely popularized by 20th-century collective-noun dictionaries and nature writers who reached for language that captured the noisy, assembly-like feel of a large baboon group.
“Troop,” by contrast, has a more straightforward and more scientific pedigree, it’s simply the term primatologists adopted to describe the structured, multi-generational baboon groups they observed in the field, and it remains the word used in academic research today.
“Flange” has a well-documented and much stranger origin: it was popularized by a comedy sketch from the British show That Mitchell and Webb Look, which jokingly claimed “flange” as the official collective noun for baboons. The joke spread online and, through repetition, took on a life of its own, even though it has no real basis in tradition or biology.
Baboon Facts
- Habitat: Savannas, open woodlands, and rocky hills across sub-Saharan Africa, with one species also found in Arabia
- Social behavior: Baboons live in large, structured troops of a couple dozen to over a hundred individuals, built around stable female kinship lines with a clear dominance hierarchy; males typically move between troops as they mature
- Diet: Omnivore; baboons eat fruit, grasses, seeds, insects, and occasionally small mammals, adapting readily to whatever food is available
- Lifespan: Around 20–30 years in the wild
- Baboons are the largest monkeys in the world
- There are five recognized baboon species, all native to Africa and the southwestern Arabian Peninsula
Example Sentences
- A congress of baboons gathered noisily near the riverbank at dawn.
- Researchers followed a troop of baboons for months to study their social hierarchy.
- A rumpus of baboons scattered the picnickers, snatching whatever food they could reach.
Other Names for a Group of Baboons
Explore the individual collective nouns for baboons in more depth:
- A Congress of Baboons
- A Troop of Baboons
- A Tribe of Baboons
- A Rumpus of Baboons
- A Troupe of Baboons
- A Flange of Baboons
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common collective noun for baboons?
Congress is the most frequently cited collective noun for baboons, though scientists studying baboons almost always use troop instead.
Is flange really a collective noun for baboons?
Not traditionally. Flange started as a joke in a British comedy sketch and spread widely online, but it has no real historical basis as a collective noun.
Why is a group of baboons called a congress?
Congress pokes fun at the loud, hierarchical, assembly-like social structure of baboon troops, borrowing language usually associated with political gatherings.
What term do scientists actually use for a group of baboons?
Researchers and primatologists use troop, which describes the stable, female-centered social groups baboons form in the wild.
How big is a typical baboon troop?
Baboon troops can range from a couple dozen individuals to well over a hundred, depending on the species, habitat, and availability of food.
Are baboons dangerous in groups?
Baboons can be bold and assertive, especially around food, but like most wildlife they generally avoid conflict with humans unless provoked or habituated to being fed.
Related: Collective Nouns for Mammals