A festival-goer who drove back from Johannesburg found an unexpected passenger among his camping gear: a tiny lesser bushbaby with wide, bewildered eyes Cape {town} Etc reports.
He handed the animal to the Cape of Good Hope SPCA Wildlife Unit, which carried out a full health check and rapid assessment.
Veterinary staff confirmed the animal was healthy and, with assistance from a Johannesburg wildlife vet, identified the colony it had most likely come from near Fourways.
The SPCA worked with CapeNature to secure permits and with Airlink to arrange a flight so the primate could return to its home range.
The little primate, nicknamed Maurice, travelled home just before South Africa’s Heritage Day, a return the SPCA described as a fitting celebration of the country’s natural heritage.
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‘What wonderful tribute to the day it was to send Maurice back home,’ said Belinda Abraham, the SPCA spokesperson.
Experts caution against releasing wildlife outside their natural range because non-native animals can threaten local ecosystems, transmit disease and struggle to survive without their colony and familiar food sources.
The SPCA asks anyone who finds a wild stowaway to contact their Wildlife Unit for guidance and not to attempt unsupervised release.
For help with rescued wildlife contact the Cape of Good Hope SPCA Wildlife Unit on 0217004158/9 at any hours of the day or night.
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Picture: Unsplash
