A MALE vervet monkey was callously shot in Meerensee last weekend, and after losing the use of his back legs had to be euthanised at Richards Bay SPCA.
The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon in Krewelkring Road, behind the Ocean Sands complex.
The SPCA was called to the scene by a concerned tenant in the neighbouring block of flats.
They arrived shortly after the shooting had taken place.
‘When we got there the monkey was still alive, but lame in the back legs,’ said Sarel Small, Richards Bay SPCA Chairman.
‘We took him to the SPCA and had no choice but to euthanise him.’
The monkey is thought to have been shot at close range with a pellet gun.
The pellet appeared to have entered through the monkey’s stomach and exited through its back.
Small said the monkey was the dominant male in his troop and after he had been removed from the scene, his troop’s females were standing on the rooftops calling for him.
Problematic
Sunday’s incident is reportedly not the first time a vervet monkey has been fatally shot in the area.
Paul Hoyte, Director of the Centre for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW), has issued some advice on humanely dealing with monkeys to avoid them becoming pests.
‘Monkeys are highly intelligent animals, but are creatures of habit and often establish certain gardens as a preferable food target,’ said Hoyte.
There are ways to humanely make gardens undesirable to vervet monkeys, including spraying them with water.
‘A Howick resident once converted an alarm sensor connected to a sprinkler into a water alarm,’ said Hoyte.
‘Every time the monkeys came near his vegetable garden, it triggered the sensor, turned on the sprinklers and wet the monkeys, causing them to run away.
‘After three months of trying and getting wet, the monkeys gave up.’
‘Vervet monkeys are a remarkable species which shows an incredible display of adaptability to the harsh environment surrounding them.
‘It can be hard work keeping them at bay, but as a smarter species we must use our knowledge, rather than anger, to ensure a harmonious coexistence with our wildlife,’ concluded Hoyte.
Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to contact the Richards Bay SPCA on 035 7532086.
Tips on banishing monkeys
• Deny access to food by closing in vegetable gardens
• Spray with water when they enter the property or visit the veggie patch (only the pressure of a children’s water gun)
• Hang reflective items like old CDs from trees (monkeys dislike reflective items)
• Display rubber snakes on window ledges and around the garden (works only when a few different snakes are regularly moved around)
• Keep windows on the smallest gap.
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