Baboon may strike again

2003-06-09 08:39

Lieze du Preez

Taung - The baboon which bit a baby to death in the Taung area is going to be re-located, because of fears that he may attack again.

Nature conservation officials believe that the baboon, apparently an old male living apart from a troop, could return to the house where he attacked the baby. He was probably looking for goats when he attacked baby Neo Tukane on Thursday morning.

The department of nature conservation said a task force had been put together to re-locate the baboon.

The Mooi River area police will help the task force in their search.

The Madipelesa area, about 80km from Taung, is known for the Cape baboon, which move around freely.

The baboons sometimes eat the brains and udders of the goats. They go to residential areas when they are hungry.

The baboon got hold of Neo in his bedroom while his mother, Betty, was washing dishes in another room.

She heard her son crying and when she went to investigate, the baboon had her three-month-old son in his paws. Betty tried to frighten him, but he became aggressive.

When neighbours came to help, they threw stones at him and the dogs gave chase, but by that time he had already eaten Neo's brains. The animal then ran away.

- Beeld