DURBAN - A National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) accredited wildlife facility will rehabilitate and release an infant baboon back into the wild after it was rescued from a property where it was chained to a tree in KwaZulu-Natal.
On Thursday, the NSPCA said last week it was alerted to a video on social media where an infant baboon could be seen being kept confined to a chain somewhere in KZN.
The NSPCA said one of their inspectors was immediately dispatched to KZN to try to find the man seen playing with the animal in the video and more importantly, to rescue the infant baboon.
The organisation said that after an extensive and thorough investigation, their inspector was able to track down the man in the video and obtain the address of where the infant was being kept.
“Upon arrival at the property, all traces of the infant baboon were wiped away and the animal was nowhere to be found. The owner of the property alleged that the baboon was released back into the wild and that the video was old,” the NSPCA said.
It said their inspector refused to accept the story and cleverly ensured that a follow-up inspection would be conducted within the coming week.
“His suspicions proved right when a KZN Ezemvelo District conservation officer found the very same infant baboon chained to a tree at the property,” the NSPCA said.
It said the baboon was immediately confiscated and charges would be laid against the owner.
“The baboon was taken to an NSPCA accredited wildlife facility, where the infant will be rehabilitated and released back into the wild to live the happy and free life that he deserves,” the NSPCA said.
“The NSPCA stands resolutely in the belief that wild animals belong in the wild.”
Daily News