How will it end?

[jaapv]

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These guys had found an orphan Baboon. They were keeping it and treating it well. But in the future? A grown-up Baboon is not a nice animal to have around as a pet....M9, Summilux 50 asph.

[michali]

Jaap- Nice shot. I'm afraid you're right it's not good for the future.

[stuny]

Jaap -

 

I agree with Mike completely.

[vdb]

Touching image. So sad though. But what are the choices?

[michali]

Touching image. So sad though. But what are the choices?

 

Virgil- Without wanting to hijack Jaap's thread, to answer your question: I agree with you it is sad. As harsh it sounds the best is to let nature take its course. I know this sounds extremely harsh; and let me qualify this by saying that I have personally in many cases put the interests of wild animals before human interests, that of course is a whole other discussion best left alone in this Forum.

 

However my experience with any orphaned animal that we've ever picked up in the bush and raised to adulthood, (and there have been many from leopards, cheetah, rhino, buffaloes, elephant and recently a kudu), it has almost always ended in tears, except for the times when we've managed to re-introduce the animal into the wild. We've managed to do this with elephant and buffalo.

 

The animals become dependent on us humans to the point where they lose their natural fear of humans, but at the same time carry on with their general behavioral patterns as wild animals. So a hand reared baboon will one day turn around and bite someone when it doesn't get its way. In baboon society it will only do that once, as there is a natural dialling-in process / hierarchy and an older baboon will bite it back, so he learns very quickly. I can't see any of these guys biting it back. FYI a baboon has larger canines than a lion. At that point the animal is considered dangerous and in many cases either destroyed, or sent to a captive facility.

IMO better to avoid this, and let nature take its course right at the beginning.

 

There is one exception however and that is with highly endangered species, e.g. Black Rhino. From the outset the end game must be re-introduction back into the wild and that is best left to the experts. This is an ongoing debate and source of many heated arguments I have with my guys on the ground.

 

Jaap thanks for a thought provoking thread.

[vdb]

Virgil- Without wanting to hijack Jaap's thread, to answer your question: I agree with you it is sad. As harsh it sounds the best is to let nature take its course. I know this sounds extremely harsh; and let me qualify this by saying that I have personally in many cases put the interests of wild animals before human interests, that of course is a whole other discussion best left alone in this Forum.

 

However my experience with any orphaned animal that we've ever picked up in the bush and raised to adulthood, (and there have been many from leopards, cheetah, rhino, buffaloes, elephant and recently a kudu), it has almost always ended in tears, except for the times when we've managed to re-introduce the animal into the wild. We've managed to do this with elephant and buffalo.

 

The animals become dependent on us humans to the point where they lose their natural fear of humans, but at the same time carry on with their general behavioral patterns as wild animals. So a hand reared baboon will one day turn around and bite someone when it doesn't get its way. In baboon society it will only do that once, as there is a natural dialling-in process / hierarchy and an older baboon will bite it back, so he learns very quickly. I can't see any of these guys biting it back. FYI a baboon has larger canines than a lion. At that point the animal is considered dangerous and in many cases either destroyed, or sent to a captive facility.

IMO better to avoid this, and let nature take its course right at the beginning.

 

There is one exception however and that is with highly endangered species, e.g. Black Rhino. From the outset the end game must be re-introduction back into the wild and that is best left to the experts. This is an ongoing debate and source of many heated arguments I have with my guys on the ground.

 

Jaap thanks for a thought provoking thread.

 

Mike, well said. I'm with you all the way on this. But I do understand the strong drive many of us have to care for orphaned animals. A difficult urge to resist...

[pauledell]

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Jaap,

 

A nice shot and an interesting discussion. As an animal lover, I am saddened by these events but as Mike has said, soon reality has to be accepted. I am weary of those who purchase animals that are not intended to be domesticated.

 

Paul