Cape Town - Beloved Cape Town baboon, known to locals as Van Damme, has been euthanised after sustaining severe bite wounds from a fight with another baboon recently.
Van Damme, an adult male baboon, was euthanised on Tuesday after a full veterinary assessment of the bite wounds a few days prior.
The altercation left Van Damme with injuries to his face, arms, and chest, and also saw him blinded in one eye.
“X-rays taken revealed that in addition to these wounds, he had suffered up to 15 penetrating pellet gun wounds that had lodged in his abdomen, both legs, buttocks, chest, and arms and with a large calibre pellet lodged in his ear canal,” the SPCA said.
“The severity of the wounds would have required an extended healing process with repeat medical procedures, subjecting him to a painful and prolonged recovery period.
“It would not have been fair or kind to keep him medicated, isolated, and separated from his troop for such a long recovery time.
“Importantly, given the loss of vision in his one eye, returning him to the troop would not be a viable or humane option as this would increase his vulnerability to welfare risks.”
Terry Corr, of baboon conservation organisation, Baboons First, said they were saddened by the “shocking demise of the male chacma baboon Van Damme”.
“He was loved by many, especially his own family, and hated by a few.
“He was a legend that deserved a better deal, now he too is dead.
“We believe that the City of Cape Town, SANParks and Cape Nature need to act with speed to implement the findings of the Cape Peninsula Baboon Task Team which proposes the deployment of strategic fences.
“Baboons need to be kept above the urban edge where there is plenty of perfect territory. Having them running through our suburbs is a complete breakdown of competent baboon management,” he said.
Cape Times