Conservationists are up in arms after a female baboon was mauled to death by two pit bulls.
The conservation group Baboon Matters say it is high time that by-laws were firmly applied and for something to be done about dogs running loose in the Simon’s Town area.
This after Mary the baboon was savagely attacked and killed by two pits at the Da Gama Park on Wednesday evening.
Tim Basset, who works closely with the Baboon Matters, said this was an ongoing challenge in the area and the surroundings where dogs were left to roam the streets.
“Unfortunately, unless people have video or photographic evidence of the attack occurring, there’s not much that can be done.
“However, law enforcement needs to clamp down with harsher fines and start fining people who aren’t keeping their dogs on their properties,” he told the Cape Argus.
Basset said Mary was not the first baboon that was killed as a result of human negligence.
Last October, an alpha male died after he was electrocuted and a month before that another male baboon was also electrocuted, he said.
SPCA spokesperson Jaco Pieterse said the deceased baboon was brought to the SPCA for examination and for X-rays to be taken.
He said the report was pending.
Pieterse said SPCA received complaints from time to time about dogs attacking or charging at baboons.
He said the SPCA could only intervene in terms of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962 if the owner deliberately incites or provokes his/her dogs to attack baboons.
“At this point, there is no evidence that suggests that the owner deliberately incited or provoked his/her dogs to attack the baboon,” he added.