The shooting and subsequent death of a chacma baboon in Bel Ombre in late September has led the Cape of Good Hope SPCA to open a criminal case against the perpetrator.
The organisation has laid charges under the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962 relating to the ‘horrific suffering’ the baboon experienced, in addition to charges under the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000 for the use of a firearm in a residential area and the Nature Conservation Ordinance 19 of 1974 for the unlawful hunting of a protected species.
“To cause any animal such horrific suffering is inexcusable. The bullet penetrated her lung and she was lying on the road gasping for air when we found her.”
“Even though we were alerted to the shooting, we were shocked to find her like that,” said SPCA Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse.
The SPCA had to call in the services of a wildlife veterinarian to the scene to have the baboon darted and sedated before the animal could be examined.
“The severity of the trauma she experienced and the area of injury made euthanasia the most humane option,” added Pieterse.
A full post-mortem was also conducted at the Cape of Good Hope SPCA where a penetrating wound to the baboon’s chest was found and a small calibre bullet was removed from the muscle adjacent to the spine.
The bullet had penetrated the lobe of the baboon’s right lower lung. The examination also found several pellets – believed to have been fired from an airgun rifle (better known as a pellet gun) – in various parts of the animal’s body.
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA condemns in the strongest terms the unnecessary and cruel use of force against sentient wildlife on the urban edges of Cape Town and is confident that justice will be delivered against the perpetrator.
Special thanks are expressed to NCC Environmental Services for their prompt assistance in the matter.
