Obstacles to the Rehabilitation of Baboons and Monkeys

OBSTACLES TO THE REHABILITATION OF VERVET MONKEYS AND CHACMA BABOONS BACK INTO THE WILD:

- Popular misconceptions about the baboon and monkey that are perpetuated by inadequate and contradictory legislation.

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We Oppose the Keeping of Monkeys as Pets - Read this to Find Out Why.

Are You Sure You Want a Monkey?
Monkey Matters Magazine

Animated, intelligent, eerily "human," monkeys are among the most fascinating animals on our planet. That's why monkeys would seem to make delightful pets. But, unlike dogs or cats, primates (all monkeys and apes) have not evolved over thousands of years to live compatibly with humans.

Pacino - Life of a Dispersing Male.

Pacino - the vulnerable transition between sub-adulthood and adulthood.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151512023476412.549171.655891411&type=1&l=b389483f34

We are extremely grateful to vet - Stephan Nell -  for the wonderful job he did with helping this wild baboon. 

Baboon - proof vegetable garden.

Baboon/monkey proof vegetable garden at the new DPG:

"Single" Males - the vulnerable steps towards adulthood.

Kennedy - one of our sub-adult orphans - left his troop two months ago to find a new one. Thankfully, he'd moved off in the direction of the gorge which is a wild area uninhabited by humans. Gun toting residents who illegally shoot primates are common in this area according to local eye witnesses and we didn't want Kennedy to head off towards human danger. He arrived back home today to be healed after being wounded in a male on male fight.

Long Term and Short Term Solutions for CO-EXISTING with Wild Primates

This vegetable garden has been electrically fenced using solar power. The electric pylon on this property (The Crags, WC.) has been cut off due the amount of wildlife that was killed on it (primates, birds, caracal etc.).

Electric fencing or employing baboon monitors are two highly effective long term deterrents for farmers to use.  Alternative Feeding Sites are successful too when carried out in the correct manner whereby the primates do not associate the feeding station with humans and the food is distributed in a manner which does not encourage population growth and increased inter-group stress. (Contact us for more info on this at: primates.south.africa@gmail.com)

Sadly, the amount of farmers who consider electric fencing to be "too expensive" - those who do not include this in their budget for making a profit while exploiting the environment, do not value the environment, biodiversity and the future enough to pay the relatively small amount required for an electric fence.

Such self interest only serves to degrade the environment further. Ironically, many of these farmers also argue that shooting primates  is their most used method for deterring them from crops.

Shooting has never stopped primates from raiding, making this so called solution a highly irrational one.

All that shooting achieves is further destruction of the environment.

 DETERRING BABOONS FROM YOUR PROPERTY - LINK



DETERRING PRIMATES WITH A GORILLA SUIT - BELOW:

REHABILITATION IN SOUTH AFRICA - OBSTACLES AND SOLUTIONS.

OBSTACLES TO THE REHABILITATION OF VERVET MONKEYS AND CHACMA BABOONS BACK INTO THE WILD: 


- Popular misconceptions about the baboon and monkey that are perpetuated by inadequate and contradictory legislation.

- Ambiguous messages conveyed to the public due to loopholes in legislation.

- Policy that does not allow these species to be released  beyond an arbitrary and scientifically flawed limit of 100km radius of  rehabilitation centres in the WC. This pointless limitation makes finding safe, appropriate release sites almost impossible in the Western Cape and impacts adversely on animal welfare.

- Policy that treats provinces as mini-sovereign states, and rigidly prevents these species from being imported and exported between provinces. Taking the small amount of rescue and rehab centres in SA into consideration, this law places great limitations on the rehabilitation of these primates back into the wild.

- An alleged failure on the part of provincial conservation authorities to consider the relevance of  scientific papers that dispute the issue
of genetic pollution.
INADEQUATE LEGAL PROTECTION:

Contradictory Legislation:

In my dealings with members of the public, I have found that the contradictory message conveyed  encourages the public to treat protection of wildlife as nonsensical, resulting in these laws being widely disobeyed.These  laws therefore directly impact on the large amount of vervet monkeys and baboons being shot, of orphans that result from this practice and of monkeys being illegally kept as pets.


POPULAR MISCONCEPTIONS:Popular prejudice against our wild primates is one of the most influential reasons for the manner in which the public treats them. These misconceptions need to be educated out of our culture, not perpetuated by problem animal control attitudes.

One example of a common misconception –Rabies:

Fears that Vervets are carriers of rabies or other infectious diseases that can be transmitted to humans are unfounded. Like us, vervets are primates – if they carried rabies, we would be carriers too. Any mammal is able to contract rabies though.

According to Monkey Helpline of EKZN, the state vet reported that no vervet monkey rabies case has ever been recorded.

INADEQUATE SPONSORSHIP OF REPUTABLE REHABILITATION CENTRES:Considering that conservation policies and public misconceptions directly impact on the
widespread abuse of these primate species, reputable sanctuaries and rehabilitation centres should perhaps be able to expect more support from the government in terms of sponsorship and a willingness to consider more protective legislation that is actively
enforced to ensure the work of these centres has the potential to progress in the best interests of the species and biodiversity.

This is far from the case. To date, we have found that a number of “awareness centres” or 'sanctuaries” with commercial agendas (whereby wild animals are allegedly traded, bred, petted by the public or worse, while the public is manipulated into believing these are reputable sanctuaries acting in the best interests of the animals, are the centres that are most likely to be financially viable.

In short, conservation policies are encouraging the proliferation of commercially exploitive 'wildlife centres' who have concluded that the most practical manner to run a
rescue centre is to exploit animals while simultaneously being seen to be “rescuing and rehabilitating” them.

This is far from being an ideal situation for the many orphaned and injured animals who need rescue and protection.

THE PRESENT REALITY:There are over 600 baboons awaiting rehabilitation and over 700 vervet monkeys at the two most established primate sanctuaries in South Africa. The backlog of orphans residing at these centres is an indication of how severe the problem is and indicates:

-the lack of safe, appropriate release sites available, and the failure of conservation services to pro-actively promote and assist with, troop releases.

-The number of wild primates orphaned due to the popular notion that they are “worthless” animals

-The inadequate financial support offered by government.


SOLUTION:The best answer to this widespread problem would be for conservation authorities to adopt a far more supportive role towards rehab centres, and to take animal welfare far more seriously.  They should also remove onerous policy conditions, and promote uniform and protective legislation that is strongly enforced by them.

This solution would ensure that this species are no longer persecuted, seen to be worthless and less orphans and pets would be the result. The pressure on present rescue and rehabilitation centres would be lessened and full release back into the wild would become far more viable.

SNARES - WESTERN CAPE, GARDEN ROUTE.

Snares around poverty stricken areas that border on wild habitats in South Africa are on the increase. While some consider primates to be bushmeat, for others eating wild primate meat has become a trend: snaring does not discriminate and the poacher will eat any animal found in his/her trap. We ask all landowners and tenants living in these conditions to please practice regular anti-poaching patrols on your land and surrounding areas to confront the problem.

Educating the poachers is necessary too, as is taking the consequences of poverty into consideration.

The video below depicts Joseph's story. He is a young male baboon who was caught in a snare close by. Once again I do want to thank Dr Rolf Lamprecht of Knysna for helping dart the baboon and take the snare off free of charge.

November 2011 - Another snare victim: this female baboon was helped by the DPG and is now healthy, free and back with her family.

BABOONS THAT RAID HUMAN PROPERTIES:

ABOUT BABOONS THAT RAID HUMAN PROPERTIES

To understand why baboons enter human properties and raid, it is necessary to understand their behaviour. Firstly, this species is highly adaptive – they adapt to their environment accordingly. This means that when humans encroach on baboon territory to build houses, roads and erect electric pylons, the baboons that have been there for a very long time are forced to adapt to the changes. They were there first – they have been around for hundreds of years more than humans have. It is a common mistake to assume baboons came “down from the mountains” to “steal” from human properties; all too often residents complain: “they must go back to the mountain where they belong”.

Research has illustrated that baboons tend to sleep in high areas but forage in low ones where food sources are more nutritional and as humans tend to live in the low areas, we find ourselves sharing a territory with baboons.

It is natural behaviour for baboons to adapt to their changing environment even when that environment is a human one forced on them.

Why do baboons enter human properties?

The short answer is they are attracted onto human properties that have been erected in their territories because these are age old baboon foraging paths natural food sources have been replaced with tasty, special food they can't get anywhere else. Baboons will be attracted to exotic fruit trees, vegetable gardens, compost heaps, garbage,, horse/cow feed.... and will also be tempted to enter houses which display human foods.

How do I stop them from entering my property?

By removing or adapting the attraction that is bringing them there. See our educational material on how to do this.

Does shooting a troublesome baboon stop them from raiding?

No. This has never worked. The problem continues.

Why does this not stop them from raiding?

Usually it is the adult males that get shot and often it is the alpha male. Because this male has not been alone in making the decision but has acted on behalf of the whole troop, you would be shooting him simply for playing the role which is expected of him – that being to scout out a human property to check if there is available food for the WHOLE troop. When an alpha male gets shot, a new male will take his place and be expected by the troop to play the same role. If the troop chooses to raid, the new male will follow their lead and will scout out human properties to check on food sources. (See the video below).

The Rogue Males:

Generally residents shoot a baboon they have been led to believe is a 'rogue”. The concept of a rogue baboon is based on misconceptions about baboon behaviour that have been passed down through the centuries. Residents may see one or two males on their properties on a regular bases and are likely to assume these are “rogue males” who have no troop. This is rarely the case.

1. Male baboons leave their birth troops for the first time during puberty to join a new group. During this stage they are extremely vulnerable and have no grooming partners or troop leaders to protect and guide them. As a result they may be drawn to raiding human homes. The process of joining a new troop can take a few months, so if residents are patient, the baboon will move on in time.

2. Residents are also likely to be fooled into thinking that they have one or two rogue male baboons on their property when a troop decides to enter a human area to raid. See the video below). In this case, the top two males may go into the human area to check on food sources for the whole troop. Residents seeing only one or two males tend to assume these are single males without a group. While these males check on the area, the troop is usually hidden from human view. It is a misconception to assume these two males are leading the troop top raid. They are merely their job – playing the role that is expected from the whole group. To remove them from the troop merely causes enormous disruption to the group. New males will move in, relationships will be turbulent and the resulting stress will effect all related systems.

More misconceptions about troublesome raiders:

Wild Primates – vervet monkeys and baboons eat according to a strict hierarchy – those at the top of the hierarchy get first access to favourite foods. When you have a fruit tree in season on your property and a baboon or monkey troop arrives to eat, the top members of the hierarchy will eat the fruit while those on the lower end will be left to wait. It is all too easy to assume the top members are trouble makers when you see them eating your fruit tree.

While the top hierarchy may be eating your fruit tree, the lower members may go off separately to find food elsewhere where the others can't see them.

In Nature's Valley, a baboon was allegedly stuck in a house for 6 hours and then shot (illegally as apparently occurs annually). The probably explanation for this baboon choosing to stay inside was not merely that there were hostile people waiting outside for him but also higher ranking baboons from his troop that would punish him for entering a favourite food spot.

BABOONS DO LEAVE THEIR TROOPS - TEMPORARILY - TO SEEK FOOD.

What happens when you shoot a whole troop:

When you shoot a whole troop, you leave a vacuum for a new troop to move into that territory. If residents continue to attract baboons and monkeys with exotic foods or human junk food, the new troop will eventually start to raid these too.

Giving Your Power Away:

Feeding by hand causes enormous problems as it shows the primates that you are being submissive. In a wild primate troop, one only gives up your food to those lower than you on the hierarchy – feeding these animals by hand, gives the message that you are giving away your power. This results in them expecting food from you in the future. Wild primates do not feed each other. Not even mothers give their infants food other than the milk they have to offer.

VIDEO BELOW SHOWS HOW A BABOON TROOP IN NATURE'S VALLEY PLANS ON ENTERING TO FIND FOOD:

Are Baboons Predators?

One of the common misconceptions about baboons is that they are far more dangerous than they are in practice. One reason is that people believe them to be predators who prey on other animals. We have found along the Garden Route that baboons will choose to eat vegetable matter over any flesh if it is available which in this part of the world, it definitely is.

In areas where baboons have adapted to eating meat it is because they have been pressurised by their environment – for example, a baboon may kill a baby gazelle in areas where vegetable food sources are scarce because it is their natural behaviour to adapt to the food source that is available there. It is therefore incorrect to assume that this largely vegetarian species is a predator. They certainly do not eat humans and usually have no reason to attack them unless severely provoked/cornered. In areas where they are forced to desperately compete with people for food, and when humans have lost their power by feeding the baboons by hand, a baboon may become more aggressive than normal to obtain food (for example in the Cape Peninsula). Usually this is merely a threat without any intent to physically harm. Please read our information about how to deal with these situations in a way that brings no harm to yourself or the baboon.

Comments on the new draft Policy on “DAMAGE CAUSING ANIMALS” - Jan 2011:

Comments on the new draft Policy on “DAMAGE CAUSING ANIMALS”

Karin Saks

The new draft policy makes it legal for DCAs to be hunted with permits allowing the use of poison, bait, traps, leghold devices, dog packs, etc. Lures and bait are allowed, and it is acceptable to hunt from a motor vehicle, using spotlights at night.

OBJECTIONS:
There is no consideration whatsoever to the welfare of “Damage Causing Animals”. Instead, there are blatant attempts to legalise exceptionally cruel, inhumane methods that place the control of wildlife firmly in the hands of farmers/forestors and other business driven individuals whose main priority is financial gain, regardless of the expense done to the environment/biodiversity.

As a result, this draft policy reads as a thinly disguised document to protect the rights of those who place financial interest above the health of the environment. Conservation officials are generally understood to be protectors of our environment, not protectors of certain sectors of society that seek to destroy it. The draft illustrates once again to the world that South African government conservation is in a bad state of affairs in terms of its policies and welfare of wildlife. This view is likely to impact negatively on tourism in South Africa, as informed international eco-tourists are increasing only wanting to visit places where compassionate conservation exists.

Legislation that has been described as “applicable” is often outdated; some of the acts mentioned, are forty to eighty years old. The outdated Animal Protection Act does little if anything to protect wild animals and seems to be referred to for one reason only – as a token act to cover up what is truly a document that upholds inhumane methods to deter so called “damage causing animals”.

There is no understanding that poor farming practices are responsible for most of the conflict between humans and DCA's, There is no realization that outdated legislation continues to allow indiscriminate lethal methods of deterring DCA's or that legislation is widely open to abuse and misuse. By legalising lethal methods to deter wildlife, farmers and others are given the clear message that killing inhumanely and indiscriminately is entirely acceptable. This message will perpetuate the present climate of destroying our wild heritage and will continue to deter tourists who want to visit ethical eco destinations from visiting.

As a result, our wildlife populations continue to dwindle, wildlife social structures continue to become dysfunctional, biodiversity continues to be destroyed and all for the sake of short term financial gain.

Re: Chapter 2 (4) (a) ((1) bb)
The option to allow trapping wild animals for sale to research laboratories has always been illegal due to their CITES listing and consequential protected status as well as the restricted activity NEMBA definitions.
The above reference to allowing wild caught animals to be sold or donated to captive breeding or research facilities is another reference that is (added in 'again') again highly likely to impact negatively on the environment and the tourist industry that presently supports South Africa as a wildlife (friendly) take out 'friendly' destination. Potential eco-tourists could ethically prefer, for example, to visit Kenya where compassionate conservation exists .

As someone who has some experience with members of the public who profess to have problems with DCA's, it has become clear to me over time that members of the public commonly regard legislation as a barometer to justify lethal methods used against DCA's. The public look to our Nature Conservation organisations for direction. Simultaneously, Nature Conservation officials seem to be under the impression that these same laws exist because the public wants them.

SOLUTIONS:
Non -lethal methods to deter all DCA's should be widely encouraged. A climate that fosters a reverence and appreciation for our environment and its fauna and flora should be adopted to educate present and future generations who will in turn protect the environment long term. This will ensure our wild heritage is protected for future generations and for the tourists that support this country. Legislation that perpetuates the use of lethal methods to deter DCA's needs to be removed entirely. Only then will there be any chance of us stopping the ongoing destruction caused to biodiversity.

PET MONKEYS - WHAT TO DO.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF IN THE POSITION OF NURTURING AN ORPHANED BABOON OR MONKEY:

For some who find themselves with the enormous responsibility of nurturing an orphaned primate, the decision to pass the baby on to a rehabilitation centre is an easy one. But for others, once the inevitable child/parent bond has taken grip, it is hard to see the situation objectively and to do what is best for the – long term - interests of the monkey or baboon.

Understandably, once one feels the instinctual protective drive that occurs when surrogate mothering a baby primate, to pass the baby onto a stranger at a rehabilitation centre can be a difficult step to take. 

You'd like to be the one in control of the destiny of the little primate you have come to love. 

You'd like to see for yourself that the primate is happy and cared for and you want to be there to ensure this all happens.

It is at this point that you need to try and look at the situation from a distance. 

Right now, you may be able to offer the baby all the nurturing s/he needs. But what about the future?  
 

Are you aware that every choice you make will impact permanently on this monkey or baboons' life in some or other way. Primates learn through experience and observation and any choice you make on behalf of the orphan in your care will certainly stay - in some way - for a lifetime.

Ask yourself if you are able to give the primate 24 hours a day care and whether this will be the case well into the future – remember baboons live for about 40 years and monkeys for about 25 years.

Ask yourself if you – as a human – are truly able to give a wild primate all that s/he needs in terms of social interaction. Remember... these are highly social animals who live in close-knit complex groups and require a strong social system with a group rather than one individual on a long term basis.

Ask yourself if you are able to accept being severely bitten and whether you mind having your home defecated in daily? These are normal behaviours when monkeys learn to regard humans as part of their family group.

The longer you keep a monkey or baboon with humans, the harder it is to integrate them with their own kind and the less chance there will be of the animal having a fulfilling existence with other monkeys.

It is not possible for any human to give to a monkey or baboon all that they they need, especially once they pass the age of sexual maturity whereby nurturing the monkey as a surrogate child is no longer appropriate no matter how you look at it.

THE HAZARDS for HUMAN CARETAKERS:

Biting is an integral aspect of monkey language. When one nurtures a baby monkey/baboon for too long, they learn to communicate with humans in much the same way they would do to other monkeys and biting is inevitable. If the monkey in your care does not bite you ,s/he will certainly bite other humans connected to you. This is because these animals are very territorial and biting others that are not part of their immediate family group is perfectly normal in monkey language. Once “pet”monkeys begin to bite their human caretakers, they are usually relocated to a rehabilitation centre where it is often too late to rehabilitate them back into the wild.

The other aspect about monkeys that people have difficulty living with are their toilet habits. Living with a monkey who defecates all over your home becomes intolerable for most people over time.

Keeping monkeys or baboons is illegal. Once you have taken on this task, you will always be worried that the “pet” in your care could be confiscated – and perhaps euthanased – by the authorities.

However cute and lovable a baby primate can be, it is important to understand that this is a short term situation. Consider the future of the orphan with a selfless love that is able to do what is best for the primate in the long run.

Contact us for information about a reputable primate rescue centre in your area.

UPDATE ON OUR MONKEYS - JAN 2010.

Disney - 2months old. Jan 2010
Harriet, Mr No hands and Jack - top female, male and beta male, bonding with newcomers inside the eclosure while long term residents freely roam in the indigenous forest.
Monki - Showing her battle scars after losing top position to Harriet.
No Hands, Harriet and orphan baby Kali soak up the sun - Jan 2010.

Our Rehab Vervet Troop - 2010. January.


Some nine years ago, when I first moved to the Garden Route, after establishing a baboon sanctuary in the Magaliesberg, I decided not to continue rehabilitating and rescuing non-human indigenous primates. My reasons had much to do with what had occurred on the sanctuary, the one we'd named "Imfene" which was based at the foot of the Magaliesberg Mountain. To explain it all I would have to digress but if you are curious about all the roads that led to this decision, it can be found in Fransje van Riel's book; Life With Darwin which was published in 2003 by Penguin Publishers.

To summarise the copious obstacles facing those who takes on the rehab or rescue of vervet monkeys and baboons is almost impossible. Those that do, are faced with legislation that seeks to persecute these species, propaganda that serves to perpetuate age-old myths about their behaviour and status as "problem" animals in relation to the humans who have robbed them of their natural habitat and the right to live freely, and the chronic consequences of loving non-human animals that face death on a daily basis.

Back in 2000, I had no intention of risking this kind of love and pain again.

To deter this nightmare, I remained faithful to a safer plan; working towards a harmonious co-existence between humans and non-human primates - finding solutions, educating and fighting our unacceptable laws. This work continued until residents with injured and orphaned baboons and monkeys began to seek me out; there are no vervet monkey sanctuaries or rehab centres in the Western Cape.

There was no other solution but to euthanase those in need.

And while there is one baboon sanctuary in this province, it is some hours away from the Garden Route, making it far easier to find a lethal solution to the countless orphans that are the consequence of farmers shooting mothers.

Once again, I felt compelled to do something - faced with an infant orphaned primate who has no future other than death, the choices are few. And so I founded the Darwin Primate Group that seeks to find solutions to bring harmonious co-existence between non-human and human primates and rescues and rehabilitates vervet monkeys.

With the limitations of living on rented land, we went ahead, taking in any infant orphans and injured adults that came our way. My method of rehab has been to integrate all the monkeys that get brought here so that they are bonded and can freely roam in the wild indigenous forest that surrounds our home. Today most of these individuals are bonded, have learnt many wild lessons about foraging for natural foods and the threat of predators. Sometime newcomers take one month to integrate and become free, others take six months. The goal always is to work towards total freedom in the wild.

Wild vervet monkeys have come and gone, as have many single transient males. Presently, we have a wild adult male called Kong who has joined our rehab group. Unlike some of the other transient males he has shown a calm, submissive disposition and seems to slowly be working his way into the group, using the most beneficial monkey manners possible.

And so the saga continues....

LIVING WITH BABOONS - FOR RESIDENTS.

New Orphans - December 2009.

Grub.

Jack (back) with three babies. Thabo looking at us.

INFANTICIDE AMONGST CHACMA BABOONS AND VERVET MONKEYS.

The drawing below was based on a photograph - Terry an infant, had apparently been killed by her genetic father. Here her corpse is surrounded by her mother and siblings. Two weeks later her mother had disappeared. Due to the events leading up to this, I guessed the father had killed the mother as well.

Terry's father - Mr Alfie - had moved into this troop a year earlier. It is normal for relationships to become turbulent when a new male moves into a troop and new males generally act more aggressively than long term male residents who are more secure in their relationships with other members.

From the start Mr Alfie had a severely turbulent relationship with Teleka, the top ranking female and mother of Terry. Prior to his move into the troop, the troop had been led by Kaya, an alpha male who had died after being electrocuted on a pylon. Like Kaya, Mr Alfie was the sole adult male in this troop of eleven individuals. He had no male competitors to challenge the aggression he brought to the troop.

Although I do not know the reason why this troop had only one adult male, the small size of the troop and the skew in adult males to females appears to have contributed towards fatalities.

Many troops in South Africa are showing a skew in adult male to female ratios due to the males being targeted by humans.

After witnessing a number of infanticide - or juvenile attacks which may be related - amongst wild troops of vervet monkeys and chacma baboons, and having once had the unfortunate experience of watching two baby orphan baboons I was fostering killed during an infanticide attack, I have arrived at the conclusion that attacks on infants and juveniles are often motivated by re-directed aggression.

While infanticide committed by new males moving into a troop may be motivated by the need to ensure lactating females come into oestrus more quickly, I suspect this is merely one reason behind the instances of infanticide that occur.

The few baboon infanticide cases I have witnessed have occurred under different and varied circumstances. A number of fatally injured juvenile and infant monkeys have been brought to me with head wounds or severe spinal injuries, clearly caused by adult male monkeys; considering the extent of these injuries, I have assumed that the motivation was to kill. Biting the victim in the middle of the spine ensures paralysis of the lower body, immobilizing the victim. Adult male monkeys sometimes practice this same kind of attack on adult male opponents.

Taking all the cases I have seen into consideration, I have concluded that both chacma baboons and vervet monkeys commit infanticide or attack juveniles to:

1. Bring lactating females into oestrus: this hypothesis is only relevant in the infanticide cases as killing juveniles who are already weaned would be implausible.

2. To fatally wound a helpless young individual that is assumed to be genetically close to one’s adult opponent (re-directed aggression). This occurs during territorial disputes and when new adult males move into a troop.

3. The behaviour of chacma baboons and vervet monkeys in captivity is vastly altered and higher incidences of violence are more likely between adults (of both sexes); infanticide and juvenile attacks would therefore also be more possible as individuals are unable to escape.

Young primates are used as weapons during conflict situations between adult males. Young juveniles who have lost their mother (due to being shot, electrocuted, run over etc), and have too few adult allies, are likely to be prime targets for infanticidal males.

When rehabilitating a troop of vervet monkeys or chacma baboons, the risks of infanticide and fatal attacks on juveniles, need to be taken into consideration. All individuals need to be strongly bonded, with each member having enough adult allies to protect them under risky conflict situations. Sex and age ratios need to be as appropriate as possible. The troop needs to be large as small troops are at great risk of not surviving.

Another Monkey Dies in Nature's Valley.Nov. 09

On the last day of November, I received a call from the Nature’s Valley camp site to rescue an adult female monkey who appeared to be “very sick”, unable to walk and had an infant clinging to her. The mother had suffered severe trauma; her neck, head and chest were a deep purple. Her face was distorted due to massive swelling and her eyes stared, signifying concussion. The most likely reason for the injury was that someone had hit her with such force that the intent no doubt was to kill. Reluctant to leave his mother, the infant attempted repeatedly to wake her up. In response she’d try to pull him off her; the pain being too difficult to bear. She needed all the energy she had; we took over the nurturing of the infant and the other monkeys have been helping to make him feel welcome.

Although we did everything to try and save the mother over the next few days, it transpired she had suffered internal injuries that made survival impossible and died.

Open dustbins and kitchens are responsible for attracting monkeys and baboons into the camp site. Once there, tourists feeding them by hand, and eating in front of them, invites these primates to help themselves to any food around. Primate proof dustbins, signage placed in strategic places to educate visitors, a primate proof kitchen area and good waste management will go a long way to solve the animal/human conflict.

The vervet monkey troop in Nature’s Valley has been living off the refuse site and camp site for some years as bad waste management continues.


Thankyou to Jemima from Sanparks for her concern for the injured mother and her baby.

We greatly appreciate the kind help offered by Dr Bert van Reenen from Marine Way Animal Hospital.

For information on co-existence between humans and wild primates, LOOKK UNDER OUR MENU - FOR RESIDENTS -

Baboon or Monkey Proofing your Home

It's not that I can easily live with an aesthetically, unappealling home. I'm not sure any artist can. But when it comes to the necessity of sharing a territory with wild animals as many of us do, along with the choice, comes tolerance and compromise. If we don't excercise those two options and choose instead to shoot, we undoubtedly contribute to an escalating, damaged environment - one we humans are entirely dependant on for survival, in spite of the level of denial we appear to be in.

 HOW TO LIVE WITH BABOONS AND MONKEYS - MORE INFO.

These pictures are taken at home where we have resorted to cheap ways of baboon and monkey proofing the home we live in. We have made screens and "intruder boundaries" out of cheap, strong wire or simple insect screening which works for monkeys. For those needing to do something similar in a more artistic manner, there are countless artists who would design beautiful intruder barriers (burglar bars) that will make you wonder why you ever resisted this option in the first place. Just contact me and I will put you in touch with an artist you need.

The wild baboon troop come by regularly and the monkeys as you probably know by now, are orphaned and injured individuals going through rehab.

With these simple, cheap methods of keeping the non-human primates amongst us out, our lives are free of raids, damaged possessions and that indefinable frustrating feeling of feeling helpless in the face of lost possessions.

I find it easy to live with both baboons and monkeys simply because our home is baboon/monkey/human proofed.

And this is why whenever I meet a financially, unchallenged individual who justifies their killing of our indigenous primates, by saying it costs too much in money or effort, I despair at the nature of humans - the unwillingness to look at life with fresh eyes and embrace new ideas that may help our dying environment.

The closer I am led into the intimate lives of vervets and baboons and other non-human animals, the more I understand that it is humans who need rehabilitation - who need to adapt their lives to live with others, so that the path that damages the environment we share is turned around for the sake of us all.

It is far more peaceful to live in harmony once one makes the decision to compromise and add a few changes to one's home. Try it before you knock it - you'll be contributing to a better world. And you'll wonder why you put yourself through all the uneccessary frustration of living in a way that brings hostility.

Karin.














The bars in these photos are seven cms x seven cms and are effective in keeping vervet monkeys out.

MISCONCEPTIONS – A THREAT TO OUR PRIMATES.

One of the most pervasive threats facing wild primates are the misconceptions that have been handed down through the centuries. Take the example of baboons being thought to be far more dangerous than they are. Baboons are not predators, do not generally kill other animals for food (1.*Baboons on the Cape Peninsula by Ruth Kansky), and there is allegedly only one account of a human dying from a baboon attack. While they have the weapons to inflict damage on others, these weapons are used to intimidate non-violently more often than not.

Generally baboons practice enormous restraint. The sight of a large adult male displaying, running fast, hair on end, breaking branches and wa-hooing is a formidable scene, sending shivers of fear through the bravest of us. This display is intended to intimidate and is used to attain a goal usually from others within the troop. It is rare for violence to be involved. Baboons do not go out of their way to attack dogs and will generally tolerate chasing dogs that do not pose a threat to the group, even playing with them. But when you are the “owner” of a much loved dog, the sight of a big baboon reacting by chasing the dog away, usually evokes a magnified fear that the dog will be hurt. Large dogs seriously intent on hurting baboons may be attacked and packing dogs will be treated as a serious threat, but on the whole, baboons practice tolerance, not going further than a mere threat designed to warn the dog not to get too close.

I was reminded of the tremendous restraint practiced by baboons recently when a wild troop came close to a territory long inhabited by a vervet monkey group. It’s commonly believed that when monkeys and baboons are forced to compete over resources, the monkeys will give way.

While young baboons and monkeys may play together, when resources are truly low and these two species are forced to compete, monkeys have allegedly sometimes been killed. In this case the alpha male vervet threatened the alpha male baboon who moved off slowly then sidled up to a few monkeys close by and threatened them instead. This is common primate language: “if I can’t go after you, I’ll go after someone close to you”. It is akin to blackmail.

But the surprising aspect of this redirected threat is it showed that the baboon was accepting a submissive position in relation to the alpha vervet – he was accepting that the vervets had first access to the territory and food it contained. The motive when translated states; “I am going to frighten you into handing over your food”. We forget to notice the restraint practiced by baboons, assuming instead that an intimidating threat will likely lead to harm. In this case, while the baboon could easily have grabbed any of these monkeys and caused serious damage, he chose not to. He was pushing his luck, trying to get food, as all opportunistic primates tend to do. But he gave way, moved off and left the vervets to eat in peace.

While we need to be vigilant about not cornering or threatening a baboon that has entered a home, by using passive body language and ensuring there is an escape route, we also need to remember not to panic and to understand that unless severely threatened, it is highly unlikely a baboon has reason to attack.

*1. Baboons are highly adaptive and some troops in certain areas are known to kill young antelopes. This is an adaptation.

Snared Baboon - Trapped, Healed and Released. November 09

Watching this four year old male baboon with his troop of forty plus companions had been heart breaking. The snare tightly wrapped around his neck limited his movement and he held onto a half a metre piece of wire with one hand while walking on three limbs.

How was I going to trap him? One baboon in a group of forty.

At first, Rolf Lamprecht, a vet based in Knysna, came out to see if he could dart him but due to the troop being particularly persecuted, it was impossible to get close enough. I had to make another plan.

It took four days of intense baboon psychology to trap him. John had performed a miracle by building a strong trap when we could not locate one elsewhere. And it certainly seemed as if the chances of us saving him were too slim to hope.

But it worked. Once trapped, Rolf came out to dart and treat him. He was then released. His wounds are healing beautifully.