A DAY IN THE LIFE OF:
The Baboons have exciting days beginning with their morning porridge and bottles, they are then let outside to cause mayhem, running everywhere letting off steam before the next course of food – fruit especially bananas which are by far their favourite food.
Around 9.30 it is time to take them out for their walk into the surrounding area it is so sweet to see Pikoli carrying Pensi everywhere, she is almost carrying her own body weight.
the others think it is amusing to hitch a ride on your head and after a while your head hurts as they often groom you whilst you are walking.
first stop is the rocks which is proper Baboon territory where they play turning over rocks and pulling up clump of grass to eat the roots
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they stay there for an hour or so and then on to the river where if the weather is really hot they swim, they jump in and out of the water waiting until they are soaking wet before they come and jump all over you,
there are two of the Baboons which have taken a real shine to me the little 8 month old girl pikoli who will tuck herself under my jumper at night with her bottle and go to sleep and Neelsie who is older, 22 months and spends his mornings attached to me when we are out walking not allowing any of the others near me.
they get tired by lunchtime and they then spend some affectionate time cuddled up to you and sometimes fall asleep all over you in the sun. This is amazing quality time and after the time I spent with Tingsan the orangutan in Borneo I once again feel very priviledged to be accepted into the company of this time a small group of monkeys and love the quietness of spending hours on my own with just primates for company.
Around 1oclock it is time to return back for lunch which is fruit and vegetables and by this time all Baboons are tired and ready for lunch and siesta.
Quietness dosent last and before long they are out playing again their energy is unending and when they do eventually decide to relax it is welcomed, they will sit next to you and groom you thoroughly, Didi inspects every part of you and takes ages to do it , and the really small babies try hard to copy.They often turn round and point their bottom in your face apparently this is a sign of acceptance and respect.
Kosie is a loner and will come and spend quality time with you when everybody else is playing he is very sweet. Dolly is too sweet for words and once she is in your arms she will lap up the attention for as long as you give it, Neelsie even allows it as long as he can sit beside you as well.
Tea time is rice or maize meal known as mealy meal which is really nutritious for them and more fruit and vegetables.
The older Baboons are then put in their enclosure for the night with bottles of milk and plenty of food, for the babies it is still too cold at night and they need the reassurance of their human mothers for a little bit longer, so they come into the house. There is always a fire burning and it was strange to see 2 Baboons sitting beside the warmth of the fire
because they still need the human company they spend the evening in the same room as us and even watch the tv, incredibly so they recognize animals on the tv and when a documentary about snakes was on they showed alarm by screaming to let each other know there was danger.
They then have their last bottles cuddled up in your arms safe and secure before being taken to bed, when they are very young they have to sleep in bed with you but after about 6 weeks they will cuddle up to each other and sleep in a cage.
A day in the life of a Baboon here is full of fun and love for monkey and human.
These monkeys are often misunderstood they are extremely intelligent and very gentle as babies, this is why so many people take them as pets but obviously as they get older they become destructive and domineering it then becomes impossible after the age of about 2 to have them in your house and close human contact with them as pets after the age of about four especially the males becomes difficult and often dangerous as they are overpowering and want their own way all the time, it is impossible to try and stop them getting what they want
All of these Baboons have been rescued mainly as babies whose parents have been shot by farmers who want them off their land, the trouble is they do not have the heart to shoot a baby and so along comes another orphan, the long term plan for these Baboons is that they can be released back into the wild, the daily walks to Baboon territory instead of leaving them in an enclosure all day is teaching them some skills as they forage for food and learn about the sights sounds and smells of the open countryside, it is interesting to watch how they call out to each other when something alarms them.
The biggest problem with release of any wild animal that has come into contact with humans is their lack of fear for us, we have to try and teach them that not all humans are kind and try if possible to find a release spot that is not close to human habitat, but that has enough food to sustain them all year round.
