The staff at the Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife (Crow) in Durban are preparing to watch Nonna, Willie and Pumpkin move on to the next stage of their transition back into the natural world.

Southlands Sun reports that after months of daily care and monitoring, the three baboons are scheduled to be transferred to a specialised primate facility in Limpopo, where they will begin the process of integrating into a social troop.

When Nonna and Willie arrived, they were juveniles. After nine months at the centre, they are leaving as healthy, confident sub-adults.

Pumpkin spent four months at the centre after being brought in as a small infant. He has since grown into a pre-juvenile filled with character.

Rehabilitation journey

Crow director Clint Halkett-Siddall said the rehabilitation journey has been incredibly rewarding for all three baboons, considering the state in which they were found.

“Nonna and Willie are believed to have arrived in Durban via cargo ships from the Western Cape in September 2025. They were tracked from Maydon Wharf through to the Northdene/Queensburgh area. Nonna was eventually found on her own, while Willie had joined a troop of vervet monkeys. Pumpkin became separated from his mother and wandered onto farmland, where he was found by local farmers. They cared for him temporarily before contacting Crow. Working with the Lower South Coast SPCA, Pumpkin was safely transported to our rehabilitation centre,” said Halkett-Siddall.

Preparing for life in the wild

The upcoming phase of their rehabilitation focuses on social structure. In the wild, baboons rely on complex group dynamics for survival, making it necessary for these individuals to move beyond solitary living.

At the new facility, Nonna and Willie will be introduced to baboons of a similar age. Pumpkin is expected to be paired with Frikkie, another young baboon previously handled by the centre.

Crow primate nurse Elizna Schoeman said it has been a long journey with the baboons and while she is happy to see them move on to the next stage, she will miss them.

“We will miss them very much. The last few months have been an incredible journey, and each of these baboons has found a special place in our hearts. While saying goodbye is never easy, we do so know they are taking the next step towards the life they were meant to live. Seeing them return to where they truly belong in the wild is the greatest reward for all of us,” she said.

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