Baboon on the loose in Secunda was looking for a new troupe
The angle of the investigation to the origin of the baboon changed when members from the public called the Highveld Ridge SPCA with information about a baboon that had escaped from captivity late last year.
Baboon males leave their troupes up to four times in their lives in search of new troupes.
According to Ms Cora Bailey from Claws this is nature’s way of curbing inbreeding. Claws is an organisation that often works with cases where a baboon has to be relocated from an urban area.
Claws was approached last Thursday, 5 April to help with the capturing of a rogue baboon male that was loose in Tugela Street and the surrounding area. The baboon was however, shot by the time that Claws interacted with the NSPCA.
Ms Bailey thinks it is wrong to label a lone baboon male as rogue.
Also watch: Video – Loose baboon was shot in Secunda
“Such an animal will travel long distances until he finds a new troupe. He will not take up residence in an urban area. Labelling a baboon as a rogue is almost the same as giving someone permission to murder the animal,” said Ms Bailey.
The fact that the baboon was a wild animal, was only one possibility that the authorities had to consider on Thursday before making the call to shoot the baboon.
This issue was raised that morning and a warning was issued from several sources that if it was indeed a wild baboon, people should remove easily accessible food and their small dogs in advance.
The closest natural baboon troupe is believed to be present in the Middelburg area.
The angle of the investigation to the origin of the baboon changed when members from the public called the Highveld Ridge SPCA with information of a baboon that had escaped from captivity late last year.
According to this information, the baboon belonged to a truck driver from Zimbabwe who had raised the animal since it was a baby. The canine teeth had also been removed and the primate was used to travelling in the truck because it accompanied its owner on trips to Sasol in Secunda. This baboon somehow escaped from the truck late last year.
Also read: Shot baboon in Secunda turns out to be a rogue male
There were also rumours of it being one of two baboons living in the Sasol conservation area, although the presence of such animals could not be confirmed.
A person who claimed to have knowledge of the baboon that came from Zimbabwe was called to the scene to see if he could lure the animal to him.
When the animal flashed his canines, the officials on the scene knew it was not a tame animal.
A post-mortem was done on the shot animal and it was determined he was quite old, very thin and had consumed quite a number of citrus fruit.
Senior Insp Jenneth Geel from the Highveld Ridge SPCA said no markings were found on the carcass to suggest that the animal lived in captivity.
Ms Baily said it is quite normal for a travelling male to be thin, because he is constantly on the move in search of a new troupe. “They are also stressed because they are moving on their own without the safety of a troupe. Any animal will become aggressive when it is cornered. I do not believe this baboon was a danger to anyone,” said Ms Bailey.
