I love animals and I’m a sucker for any story relating to animals. I watched a news story with interest today about residents of Capetown in South Africa running a raging war against baboons. The protected baboons are adept at opening cars and house windows. They are breaking into both and creating chaos, especially when they hit the “motherlode” - the fridge. Here’s the full story here
This reminded me of my own baboon experience, which happened during our overland trip through Africa. We were staying at a game park in Nigeria. The place was run down since they didn’t get many tourists but we stayed in these nifty huts, which was a change from camping. They also had a river with hot pools in it. After lots of cold showers and cold water washes, hot water was good! Anyway, they also had this small camp store that sold chocolate. Mars bars in particular. We hadn’t seen chocolate for weeks so just about everyone indulged. This camp had baboons and we had to make sure we locked our huts and didn’t leave any food about for them to steal. Between the camp store and our huts there was a dirt road. The baboons patrolled that road and let me tell you they could spot a Mars bar wrapper at one hundred paces! A few of our group were mugged by the troop of baboons and had to make a run for it, leaving their chocolate behind. I wasn’t game to purchase chocolate after that and everyone kept a wary eye out for those baboons. Not a creature you want to fool around with, that’s for sure.
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LOL I’m sorry I had to laugh at the image of a troop of baboons attacking the visitors. That is too funny.
by Christine d'Abo September 24th, 2007 at 6:16 amOkay, I’m feeling incredibly boring. I’ve never been to Africa or NZ! I need to start working earning some frequent flier miles!
by Lillian Feisty September 24th, 2007 at 2:30 pmChristine - they’re so intelligent. When you watch them you can see them thinking. I kept well out of their way after the mugging incident!
Lillian - having no kids makes all the difference
I’ve wanted to travel since I was a kid. Must be something to do with my star sign. Luckily hubby loves to travel as much as I do. We’re pretty boring between trips. All walk and not much play so we can save.
by Shelley Munro September 24th, 2007 at 3:44 pmBaboon mugging, ya I wouldn’t want to be a part of that. Actually, in a town I grew up in there was a zoo, not the greatest and it had this primate house. Well one day the old baboon got out and they had to lock up the primate house from visitors, because he was so fierce. I walked by their once and he was in the doorway growling.
Not an animal I would want to mess with that’s for sure.
by Amy Ruttan September 24th, 2007 at 6:27 pmMugged by baboons! OMG!
by Christina Phillips September 24th, 2007 at 6:42 pmOk Ms. Shelley, I had a dream about Baboons mugging me! I was going to a store to buy chocolate and they were everywhere, and then I ended up in a missionaries home, because they had the only car to protect people from the Baboon attacks.
It was freaky to say the least, and the fact I remembered it still and before the COFFEE is something. LOL.
by Amy Ruttan September 25th, 2007 at 8:50 amLOL - Amy, rather you than me!!
I usually forget my dreams by the time I’m fully awake. I know I’ve dreamed and the emotions the dream has evoked but that’s it.
by Shelley Munro September 25th, 2007 at 12:12 pm