A TINY vervet monkey is on the mend at the Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) after she was rescued from a mob of boys who were dragging her by her tail in Mtinzini on Wednesday, 15 March.
Irene, as she has been named was saved by Mtunzini local, Kevin Rundle who saw the youngsters dragging her along hot tar.
“Kevin witnessed the incident and stopped his car to save baby Irene. After insisting they let go of her, Irene ran into the bush and was only found the following morning on a dirt road nearby,” said CROW marketing and communications officer, Chandre De Bruyn.
“The monkey was so badly injured that she went up to Kevin in order for him to help her,” said CROW Empangeni depot’s Irene Liversage (the monkey’s namesake).
Irene rushed the three-and-a-half-month-old vervet to Empangeni Veterinary Hospital where she was treated by Dr Geoff.
Read: Orphaned monkey saved by CROW staff
She had suffered serious burn wounds on her feet and two badly infected punctures. She was also severely dehydrated.
“Her wounds were treated by applying burn ointment and changing the bandages about three times a day.
After spending 10 days in the intensive care unit, baby Irene is now moving around and doing much better. She will be kept in a separate enclosure until she is strong enough to join the rest of the nursery group of eight babies.
Read: Day in the life of a CROW volunteer
As April is the month of National Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, this story is an opportunity to emphasise the cruelty animals experience at the hands of humans. On behalf of CROW, we thank and congratulate everyone involved in the rescue of baby Irene,” concluded Chandre.
Want to do your part for National Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month? Get involved with your local SPCA or volunteer at CROW.
Take a stand against the abuse of animals and report violators immediately.
Learn about local indigenous species and ways in which you can help to provide them with a safe and conducive environment in which to flourish. Remember, they have to share the same space we do and it is important to be mindful of our impact on the environment around us.
You can also look into ways to reduce your carbon footprint to ensure there is a natural world to marvel at for many generations to come.
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