MOSSEL BAY NEWS - A drive near Brandwag resulted in the unexpected rescue of a female baboon after she was recently struck by a car.
Mossel Bay locals Christiaan Stopforth and Monique Lingenfelder spotted the injured baboon on the side of the road and, without hesitation, pulled over to help.
"I saw her tail still moving, but it didn't look too good at that stage," says Stopforth. He gently covered the animal with his jacket and carried her to the car. He noticed injuries to her shoulder and head and treated some of her wounds.
The baboon was then taken to the Mossel Bay branch of the Garden Route SPCA and later transferred to Hartenbos Animal Hospital, where she has been recovering well.
According to Dr Frans de Graaff of the Hartenbos Animal Hospital, the baboon is estimated to be about six months old and weighs 3.1kg.
"She had open wounds on her head, shoulder and side. She sustained a skull fracture and a broken clavicle. She also had a concussion when she arrived. The wounds were cleaned and stitched, and we also took some X-rays," he says.
Although the animal hospital does not typically name the wildlife it rescues and treats, De Graaff says this baboon quickly crept into the staff's hearts.
They decided to name her Nana because of her love of bananas.
Nana is currently in a stable condition, eating well and moving around.
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