Three vervets in one month
A vervet monkey was caught in Daveyton after a two-day rescue operation.
The Benoni SPCA, EMPD, Ekurhuleni Fire Department and Roodepoort-based Community Led Animal Welfare (Claw) teamed up and finally caught the primate on Saturday, March 19.
The vervet was stuck in a tree, surrounded by a potentially harmful crowd, according to Shelley Owens, Benoni SPCA co-chairperson.
“The EMPD kept the crowds at bay as they wanted to get to the monkey because of superstitious beliefs,” Owens said.
“The Kempton Park Fire Department sent a crane to lift rescuers up into the tree in an attempt to get to the monkey, but he was quite elusive.”
The society’s Facebook page stated the animal was caught by lifting a trap into the tree.
This comes after another vervet monkey was found by the SPCA in early March.
The monkey had been hit by a vehicle on the N12 highway, near the Main Road crossing, and was later found among the grass next to the road.
“He was handled with extreme caution and care, not to injure him further,” said Vicky Finnemore, acting manager of the Benoni SPCA.
Finnemore said the monkey was unfortunately too seriously injured and “the decision to humanely euthanise him and end his suffering was made”.
She said that on March 24 the third vervet monkey of the month had been spotted in Lakefield the previous night.
Finnemore added it was unclear where the monkeys came from as it is illegal to keep a vervet without a permit.
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