Ballot the baboon came and went in peace

Here’s an update on the baboon that traversed many parts of Ekurhuleni, including Benoni, recently.
Ballot, as the community named the animal, was safely captured by a wildlife organisation on June 2.

Here are posts from Craig View Veterinary Clinic’s Facebook page:
Today (May 30) was another busy day for Ballot, the Baboon from Brakpan.

If he follows the route we believe he is following based on his last known location we are unlikely to receive any more info about the Baboon from Brakpan who made his way through Benoni and Kempton Park without incident.

Baboons are considered vermin and some members of the public feared for the safety of their children and animals.

Lynn Venter, who has managed his tracking map and measured each confirmed point under the watchful eye of Brakpan SPCA inspector and manager Tamaryn, sent these statistics this evening.

There is so much “food for thought” about this supposedly aggressive animal who could have had countless opportunities to wreak havoc since Friday.

Ballot could have visited 51 schools, two police stations, 46 crèches, and three highways and chosen from six interchanges, 14 clinics and 65 churches.

These are places where people gather and could have been frightened or harmed by him, yet Ballot navigated his almost 40km with peace.

He has avoided access to thousands of houses.

So tonight may very well be the last known sighting of the dispersing male who has shown great consideration and compassion on his journey.

Ballot if this is our goodbye you leave us with a single lesson: humans have a lot to learn from animals.

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• Thank you Dr Ross for giving up your Saturday to try and safely capture Ballot, Dr Cliff who raced to assist when a journalist called leaving behind paying clients – we remain immensely proud of your priorities throughout this all.

To inspector and manager Tamaryn and your team at Brakpan SPCA your determination, perseverance and dedication have inspired us all.

We truly enjoyed the collaborative efforts of working together in the interest of the animal.

When we arrived on scene to assist we were told the organisation had left to take Ballot to another vet for assistance.

We thank the community for their concern, compassion and support.

We raised R2 500 and will be paying this over to Brakpan SPCA.

We know they have used so much fuel and data and worked so hard for over a week to save Ballot from harm’s way.

We wish we could have raised more for your amazing society in an area that needs so much support. To Ballot, stay safe, stay away from humans and thank you for the lessons.

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