Concerned: Baitshenyetsi Mabifi and Smarts Kgopang
Residents and tribal leaders of Moshupa village in the Southern District have raised concern over an old lone baboon which has been kidnapping their dogs and starving them to death on hilltops.
The baboon, which appeared in the village about three months ago allegedly, went on rampage, stealing puppies and causing havoc especially in the hilly Phuting and Kgosing wards.
The incidents caused panic in the two wards as villagers fear that the baboon could end up stealing their babies.
“We cannot let the children play outside because the baboon may snatch one,” stated one resident, Baitshenyetsi Mabifi.
Mabifi said what makes her even more scared is that the baboon has visited her home several times, broke into the house and attempted to steal her puppy.
“A few weeks ago, the baboon found an opportunity when the puppy was resting outside the house and it snatched it away. Luckily somebody managed to hit it with a stone before it went further into the hill and it dropped it,” explained Mabifi.
Another resident, Smarts Kgopang added that in fact almost all households in Phuting and Kgosing wards had been attacked at some point by the marauding baboon.
“Everyone is scared. We don’t know what it will do next because it has broken windows. We are talking about an old, clever and strong animal. When it grabs an object it makes mockery of both the people and barking dogs. It fights back,” added the old man.
The village Chief, Kgosi Oscar Mosielele said although he does not own a dog, the baboon had visited his home several times and destroyed his vegetable garden.
“This Mohurutshe (a baboon is a totem for Bahurutshe tribe) is a nuisance. My understanding is that it was bullied by other baboons from hills outside the village and escaped to the village center. Now that it is lonely it steals puppies and turns them into pets,” Mosielele explained.
He said naturally male baboons like their young ones hence it is attracted to puppies.
Meanwhile unconfirmed reports suggest that the baboon was finally killed by one irate resident early this week.
Concerned
thanx to whoever killed why should people suffer because of a baboon!
THIS MOHURUTSHI IS A NUISANCE!A GONGWE IT WAS A BABY KINGKONG
kill the damn baboon batho ba ka nnela go ikuela bare ba tshwengwa ke tshwene eses
this baboon was terrorising the villagers but it should have not been killed,its just that our wildlife dept here is useless they could have taken that baboon to their labs and check on what kind of an animal was that and u may find out that we were the luckiest country to have that kind of animal.maybe it was an ape and truely we all knw that its either they are there or hard to find.
Banna dats my Totem and i respect it so much they could have not killed it, ko maun kwa ditau le ditlou di bolaa batho mme gatwe di tlogelwe magodu a betsa batho then robb them again abo gotwe a ye toronkong 2yrs jus because rotwe (TSHWENE SEHUTSANA) ga se one of the big five o a bolawa mme ene ane a itshamekela ka dintswanyana a dibona di bolailwe ke tlala are wa go diruta go ja diphepheng ko Ntsweng. Le stlhogo waitse.