A VERVET monkey was euthanised after a shot to the back left it paralysed from the waist down. Angi Munford and Di Bester, volunteers for Monkey Helpline found the monkey in a La Lucia garden in lower Addison Drive just after 9am on Wednesday.
Veterinarian for the Riverside Veterinary Clinic, Dr Kerry Easson, said x-rays revealed the scope of the damage.
“The monkey was definitely shot with a pellet gun. There was evidence of damage to the vertebra. When a pellet goes through a bone, little bits of the metal come off and get stuck in the bone. You can actually see it in the vertebra. People do this and leave the animal to suffer, it’s disgusting. It’s also illegal. The pellet can hit a person instead of the monkey or ricochet into someone’s eye. They are shooting across their boundary walls. The number of injured monkeys coming in is endless,” she said.
Also read: Monkey shootings continue in uMhlanga
Munford said Monkey Helpline has lodged a complaint with the SPCA.
“The monkey, a four-year-old male was shot while on a tree at the fence between two properties. He was shot just once above the waist and paralysed in both legs. The saddest thing was that he dragged himself down to bottom of garden,” she said.
SPCA marketing manager, Tanya Fleishcer said a case was opened at the SAPS.
Also read: Two more monkeys shot in Durban North
“The public need to be mindful of all wildlife surrounding them. Wild animals, like monkeys, are trying to survive and feed their families, they don’t understand boundaries. We need to be respectful of this and treat them with kindness. People need to remember that we have built in their habitat, rather take your own preventative measures to remove temptations of monkeys, and other animals, entering your home,” she said.
Steve Smit, co-founder and coordinator of Moneky Helpline said they are in the process of putting together a database of known offenders in the area and people who make threats to harm the monkeys.
“We are going to extreme lengths to convince witnesses to stand up and be counted and report the matter to the police,” he added.
For more information, call Monkey Helpline on 082 659 4711.
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