Woman rescues baby from disrespectful baboon

A WOMAN from West Nicholson in Gwanda District rescued her 18-month-old son from the grips of a baboon that was mauling him while dragging him away into a bush.

Although baboons rarely attack human beings, with large teeth, sharp claws and amazing agility, they can be a terrifying prospect when they confront people.

Tales, however, abound of how baboons may be disrespectful towards women and children and sometimes go as far as assaulting them in human-animal conflicts as the animals seek food in crop fields.

Ms Petronella Moyo (22), threw caution to the wind and with little regard for her safety, went after a full-grown male baboon that had snatched her baby.

The animal sank its teeth into the baby twice and left him badly bruised after dragging him on the ground for about 50 metres last Thursday.

The boy is admitted to Gwanda Provincial Hospital where he is receiving treatment and has been vaccinated against rabies.

Recounting her ordeal to the Chronicle, Ms Moyo said her child’s ear-splitting scream as the animal attacked him, froze her blood.

She said maternal instinct kicked in and propelled her to chase after the animal that was dragging the baby on the ground, scrapping his skin off.

“Some baboons came to our area in the morning and the neighbours made some efforts to chase them away. I was in my bedroom and my son was in the sitting room. I heard my son crying and when I checked on him I saw a baboon holding him by the leg and fleeing.

“Without thinking I pursued the baboon and at the same time I was screaming to scare it.

“It was dragging my son on the ground along the way and he was crying and screaming in pain. As I closed in, after a distance of about 50 metres the baboon dropped my son on the ground and it fled.

“My son was seriously injured as the baboon bit him twice and he also sustained bruises from being dragged on the ground,” she said.