IT has been four days of mayhem and success stories. What initially looked like one baboon who lost his way from the Durban Harbour, turned out to be two. The search began, and the sightings and fake content trickled in, as the Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW), volunteers, and the community poured in their efforts to assist in the capture. Both baboons, now safely captured, have been named Willie and Nonna.

“Our team dropped the baboon caught yesterday at the vet and immediately went to the site where it was seen. The baboon had decided to follow a local troop of vervet monkeys to a residential complex around the corner. Our team, led by Clinic Nurse and primate mom, set the trap, and while our team was keeping the monkeys away from the trap, the baboon, enticed by the tasty treats, walked into the trap, and the door dropped successfully, securing the baboon,” explained Clint Halkett-Siddall, Operations Director at CROW.

Update: Endangered baboon spotted back at Durban harbour

“The pictures and videos we received were deceiving, and it turned out to be a juvenile male about the same age as the one caught yesterday. He has been taken to our vet for examination and will be transported back to CROW with the juvenile female from yesterday.

“We believe that all the baboons have now been caught and residents of Durban can let their guard down. Both baboons are safe and secure. They will be kept here until permits to transport them across provinces are received after which they will go to a baboon specialist rehab and joined to a troop for final release back into the wild,” added Halkett-Siddall.

He added that they have taken a DNA test from Willie to ascertain his place of origin.

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