Buddy the baboon, formally known as TK-57, was captured and released at the Lewis Gay dam in Tokai on Monday, February 15, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA confirmed.
Over the past week, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA has received numerous queries regarding Buddy, who is originally from the Tokai troop. The City of Cape Town informed the SPCA of their intent to capture and return TK-57 to his natal troop in Tokai last week, following a unilateral decision by the City to translocate TK-57 without consultation with the Cape of Good Hope SPCA.
Parkscape has been warning the public to be extra careful around Buddy for the past few weeks, as he tends to roost in a pine tree on the field on the southern edge of Tokai Forest most evenings and moves variously between the forest and suburbia during the day.
On February 5, the male baboon crossed the very busy M3 road in Tokai. The baboon needed to be captured and returned to his natal Tokai troop and natural habitat as the urban area, with its busy roads, domestic animals, people and unhealthy food, is dangerous for baboons, said the City of Cape Town.
“The Cape of Good Hope SPCA encourages/calls for a stakeholder approach to address the root causes pertaining to baboon management in Cape Town and will continue to monitor Buddy’s situation from an Animal Welfare perspective,” reads a statement from the organisation.
All queries should be directed to the City of Cape Town and members of the public are further encouraged to report Baboon incidents to the Baboon hotline on 071 588 6540.
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Picture: Cape SPCA