Just days after the Cape of Good Hope SPCA euthanised an injured baboon from a Simon’s Town troop another male baboon met the same fate.
In a statement last week, the Cape of Good Hope said they were forced to euthanise another male baboon after it had been blinded by what they suspect to be pepper rounds shot at close range.
“No sooner had our 150-year-old animal welfare organisation broken the sad news of having to euthanise a well-known adult male baboon from the Smitswinkel Troop known as Van Damme (WF9) due to serious welfare concerns last week, an adult male baboon from the neighbouring Waterfall Troop, known as Nomahlehle (WF8) was admitted to the SPCA having been blinded in both eyes by what is suspected of having been a pepper round fired into his face at close range.”
After receiving “expert assessment” and medical care that included three veterinarians, an ophthalmologist who was called on Monday 27 February, confirmed that Nomahlehle the baboon would never recover his vision.
Cape of Good Hope SPCA chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse said it was sickening how baboons were suffering at the hands of people.
“We are frankly sickened at having to once again euthanise a baboon that has suffered at the hands of people in the community alongside its natural home range while merely trying to exist as he and his kind have done for eons.
“That a community finds itself in conflict with baboons because they cannot mind their food waste and remove other food attractants, should not be at the expense of our fast-disappearing biodiversity, of which baboons are an integral part.”
Like most baboons the SPCA treats, Nomahlehle was riddled with lead pellets that had been fired throughout its life.
“We counted as many as 22 penetrating pellets in his body, a record number in recent history.
“Nomahlehle’s condition is a glaring example of the importance of helping to keep baboons wild and away from the dangers the urban area poses to them. Without a programme geared at keeping baboons in the natural areas, there will be many more baboons subject to the same, and even worse, suffering,” said Pieterse.
Jon Friedman, Cape of Good Hope SPCA wildlife department supervisor, commented that they are often tasked with making unpopular decisions.
“The SPCA, as the country’s oldest animal welfare organisation, has always been at the forefront of ensuring the humane treatment of all animals.
“When we are forced into making unpopular decisions to ensure that an animal is not suffering, we get lambasted by members of the public for doing the dirty work that no one else is prepared to do.”
The statement further adds that the SPCA is concerned about the future welfare of the Cape Peninsula baboons following the announcement that the City of Cape Town’s Urban Baboon Programme, which serves to keep baboons out of the suburbs as far as possible, will be coming to an end in June this year.
Meanwhile, Lynda Silk, chair of the Cape Peninsula Civil Conservation, an organisation that looks at relationships between people and biodiversity in the Cape Peninsula, says they would like to engender more positive experiences for all biodiversity, including baboons.
“We want to look at baboon management, not as a baboon problem but how do we as humans impact biodiversity.”
