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  1. Male baboons mature more slowly than females, reaching full adult maturity at around 10-12 years of age. After the onset of puberty at 5-7 years, the sub-adult period lasts 3-5 years while the male continues to grow, though there is considerable variation between individuals. Here, we present data on the behavioral changes that accompany the physical maturation of male olive baboons (Papio anubis) as they transition through each developmental stage. This research was conducted on a fully habituated wild troop at the Uaso Ngiro Baboon Project in Laikipia, Kenya. We use long-term grooming data (2018-2023) to show that males have significantly more grooming partners as they get older (n=48, p<.001). We then use behavioral data collected in June and July 2023 to compare the social behaviors of males from three developmental stages: juveniles (n=5), males who recently became sub-adults (n=4), and males who have been sub-adults for over a year (n=5). The differences between these three groups show the effect of puberty on behavior: juveniles were observed in social play significantly more often than sub-adults (p=.006), while males who recently underwent puberty tended to groom less often than either juveniles or older sub-adults (p=.091). Our focal data also revealed variation in the age at which males reached each developmental stage. Further research is needed to determine causes and consequences of the variation in age at puberty and the potential long-term consequences of this variation on the males’ social behavior. 
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