Roodepoort goes bananas over baboon
Baboon fever has been running high after yet another male makes its way through the neighbourhood.
Residents in Kloofendal, Florida Park, Constantia Kloof, Quellerina and Weltevreden Park are avidly following the journey of a male baboon that is migrating through the area.
This is the second baboon in as many months in the same vicinity.
According to Cora Bailey, owner of Community-Led Animal Welfare, they were able to track the animal for the past number of weeks, but it has thus far managed to avoid being trapped.
“We don’t know if it’s the same baboon as the previous one just seemed to disappear after being regularly spotted near Clearwater Mall about a month ago,” she says.
“Male baboons, when they become sexually mature, are shunned from their troops by the alpha male.
“They leave in search of a troop of their own. This often sees them travelling great distances, and moving through residential neighbourhoods, where they’ll often stop off for a while if they find a good food source.”
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Bailey adds that, where possible, the baboons are trapped and relocated to safe areas.
“Unfortunately, there are many silly superstitions around baboons and monkeys, and should the animal find itself in the wrong neighbourhood, it will most likely be killed, as was the case with Raygun, a baboon that was trapped by children at a school in Delmas and brutally tortured and killed before being set alight.
“There are also other dangers to take into account, including traffic, scraps with domestic animals, and the possibility of a baboon getting into a house in search of food.”
First sightings of the baboon emerged on community WhatsApp groups, with residents posting photos and videos of it at the top of the ridge in Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden.
From there, it moved east through Constantia Kloof.
“There were a few sightings in Florida Park before he moved off toward Weltevreden Park.
“Luckily, he made it safely over the highway, as the latest sightings have been in and around Northcliff.”
Bailey urges residents to report any sightings on the relevant community WhatsApp groups.
“This is their natural behaviour, and we appeal to people not to disturb it. Rather report the sighting so we can track it, safely trap it, and relocate it to a natural area where it can find the new family that it is searching for.”
