Rogue Cape baboon safely rescued

The Southern Suburbs community can rest easy following the news that a rogue Cape baboon, who had authorities on their toes last Friday, is now safely back on his home turf.
Cape of Good Hope SPCA Communications Manager Belinda Abraham confirmed the successful rescue endeavour over the weekend after a "tense day of tracking and multiple evasions."
"We're relieved to share a positive outcome for the young dispersing male baboon spotted in Claremont and surrounding areas. Our team, working alongside the Cape Baboon Partnership and a wildlife veterinarian, returned to the area where he had slept the previous night. The baboon was successfully darted, given a full health assessment, and is en route to be safely released into his natural roaming territory."
"This outcome gives him the best chance to continue his natural dispersal without facing the many dangers posed by urban environments.
Baboons do not belong in residential areas. Urban spaces are filled with threats: roads, fences, domestic pets, and people. While sightings may seem exciting, these moments are stressful and dangerous for wildlife," said Abraham.
"A heartfelt thank you to the community for your cooperation and care, and to every member of the response team who worked tirelessly to ensure his safety.
If you see a wild animal in distress, please contact the SPCA at 021 700 4158/9. Baboons remain protected under the Nature Conservation Ordinance 19 of 1974. It is illegal to harm, harass, or interfere with them," she added.
While this chap didn't quite stir the same attention as Gordy the Elephant seal, the ordeal does highlight the interplay between nature and urban habitat encroachment - with baboon sightings more frequent in certain areas around Cape Town than in others.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Time Out Cape Town (@timeout.capetown)
What to do if You Spot a Baboon:
Keep a respectful distance of at least 20 metres.
Do not approach it or try to take close-up photos.
Avoid forming crowds - this can stress or corner the animal.
Do not block roads or interfere with the work of authorities onsite.
On the Road:
If you see the baboon near a road, slow down and turn on your hazard lights to alert other drivers.
Be mindful not to box the animal in or cause panic by following closely.
At Home:
Keep dogs indoors while the baboon is in the area.
Leave doors and windows open only if secured with gates or bars.
Store bins inside a garage or enclosed area — baboons are opportunistic feeders.
To report sightings or for assistance:

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Time Out

4 hours ago

• Time Out

Rogue Cape baboon safely rescued

The Southern Suburbs community can rest easy following the news that a rogue Cape baboon, who had authorities on their toes last Friday, is now safely back on his home turf. Cape of Good Hope SPCA Communications Manager Belinda Abraham confirmed the successful rescue endeavour over the weekend after a "tense day of tracking and multiple evasions." "We're relieved to share a positive outcome for the young dispersing male baboon spotted in Claremont and surrounding areas. Our team, working alongside the Cape Baboon Partnership and a wildlife veterinarian, returned to the area where he had slept the previous night. The baboon was successfully darted, given a full health assessment, and is en route to be safely released into his natural roaming territory." "This outcome gives him the best chance to continue his natural dispersal without facing the many dangers posed by urban environments. Baboons do not belong in residential areas. Urban spaces are filled with threats: roads, fences, domestic pets, and people. While sightings may seem exciting, these moments are stressful and dangerous for wildlife," said Abraham. "A heartfelt thank you to the community for your cooperation and care, and to every member of the response team who worked tirelessly to ensure his safety. If you see a wild animal in distress, please contact the SPCA at 021 700 4158/9. Baboons remain protected under the Nature Conservation Ordinance 19 of 1974. It is illegal to harm, harass, or interfere with them," she added. While this chap didn't quite stir the same attention as Gordy the Elephant seal, the ordeal does highlight the interplay between nature and urban habitat encroachment - with baboon sightings more frequent in certain areas around Cape Town than in others. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Time Out Cape Town (@ What to do if You Spot a Baboon: Keep a respectful distance of at least 20 metres. Do not approach it or try to take close-up photos. Avoid forming crowds - this can stress or corner the animal. Do not block roads or interfere with the work of authorities onsite. On the Road: If you see the baboon near a road, slow down and turn on your hazard lights to alert other drivers. Be mindful not to box the animal in or cause panic by following closely. At Home: Keep dogs indoors while the baboon is in the area. Leave doors and windows open only if secured with gates or bars. Store bins inside a garage or enclosed area — baboons are opportunistic feeders. To report sightings or for assistance:

Evening Standard

3 days ago

• Evening Standard

The London Marathon 2026 ballot results are out: How to check if you got a place

The organisers warned in an Instagram post that, since they need to send out over a million emails, it can take time for them all to come through.

The Sun

4 days ago

• The Sun

You've been eating your avocados all wrong – the easy hack to getting them ripe in just 10 minutes

DO you ever get left frustrated when you want to tuck into your avocado but it isn't quite ripe enough yet? It turns out there is a handy hack which can get it ready to go in seconds. 3 A mum shared how you simply need some boiling water to do the trick. Instagram user @vita_momhack wrote: 'Kitchen Hack - pour boiling water over an unripe avocado and it will be ripe in 10 minutes.' In a video, which has racked up over 9,300 likes, she showed how you should put the avocado in a bowl, before adding the hot water. Then you should wait for the time and voila - your avocado should be less hard and more squishy. The mum-of-two showed herself cutting into her avocado and it was perfectly ripe for eating. Many people were impressed with her tip and said they had no idea it worked. One said: 'Wowwy! Thanks for the tip!' Another added: 'This is amazing.' Meanwhile, one commented: 'Hot water to ripen avocado? Super!' However, one pointed out: 'This only softens the avocado but not necessarily ripen it and produce the best flavour it could if you let it naturally ripen.' How to ripen avocado in minutes And one said: 'Nope. It is still hard.' Other people have said microwaving an avocado can help make it softer. A food writer from All Recipes said: 'Slice the avocado in half, remove the pit, then wrap each half tightly in plastic wrap. 'I microwaved the avocado halves, cut-side down, in 30-second intervals until the fruit felt soft enough to use.' 3 However, they warned that the results can be 'faintly rubbery.' According to the team at California Avocados: 'The microwave or oven may soften the flesh of the fruit a little which may make it 'seem' ripe, but it isn't. 'Ripening avocados is a process best left to Mother Nature's timeline. Patience is key.' Another hack is to add an avocado in a brown paper bag with an apple to speed up ripening. This is because apples emit a gas called ethylene which can help with the process. What foods should you ALWAYS keep in the fridge? THE 'King of Bread' Paul Hollywood has said you should never keep bread in the fridge. But what foods SHOULD you store in there? According to EUFIC, The European Food Information Council, these are some of the main foods you should always ensure are kept in the fridge. Apples Berries Butter Cheese Eggs (boiled or unboiled) Fish (cooked or raw) Fresh herbs Lemons Meat (cooked or raw) Milk Oranges Pickles (if opened) Salad leaves Tomatoes Yoghurts