The Cape of Good Hope SPCA has announced the euthanasia of an adult male baboon after he was involved in an altercation with another baboon.
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Van Damme was humanely put to sleep yesterday evening after a full veterinary assessment of the severe bite wounds sustained from a fight a few days prior.
This altercation left him with injuries to his face, arms, and chest, as well as leaving him blind in one eye.
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X-rays taken revealed that in addition to these wounds, he had suffered up to 15 penetrating pellet gun wounds that had lodged in his abdomen, both legs, buttocks, chest, and arms, along with a large calibre pellet lodged in his ear canal.
According to the SPCA, the severity of the wounds would have required an extended healing process with repeated medical procedures, subjecting him to a painful and prolonged recovery period.
“It would not have been fair or kind to keep him medicated, isolated, and separated from his troop for such a long recovery time,” the SPCA said in a statement.
“Importantly, given the loss of vision in his one eye, returning him to the troop would not be a viable or humane option as this would increase his vulnerability to welfare risks.”
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Picture: Good Hope SPCA