Sandton SPCA rescues a vervet monkey in Sandhurst
Sandton SPCA rescued a young male vervet monkey that wandered into residential properties in Sandhurst and returned it to the wild after veterinary clearance.
A young vervet monkey that had been roaming residential properties in Sandhurst has been safely rescued and returned to the wild following a coordinated effort by Sandton SPCA and Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital.
According to the SPCA, a vervet monkey is a small, black-faced primate native to East Africa. Body colour ranges from greenish-olive to silvery-grey, with a distinct white forehead band that blends into short whiskers.
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On June 8, Sandton SPCA received reports from members of the community regarding the monkey, which, according to the residents, had been frequently entering yards, causing dogs to bark and taking items that had been left outside.
After inspecting the area, inspector John Mokwana identified a suitable location to safely set a humane monkey trap baited with bananas.
“Early on the morning of June 10, we received a call from a resident informing us that the monkey had entered the trap,” Mokwana said. “I immediately responded to the scene and safely secured the animal before transporting it to Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital for assessment.”
He added that the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital staff examined the young male vervet monkey and found it healthy.
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“To prevent unnecessary stress and to ensure the monkey could continue living, the wildlife team naturally recommended that he be released as soon as possible in a safe, natural environment. Following this advice, I transported the monkey to a suitable nature reserve where he was successfully released back into the wild.
“It is an awesome feeling to rescue and release a wild animal back into its natural environment, giving it the freedom to express its normal behaviour and live as nature intended.”
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