Dodger

Dodger, coded SK7, a  young dispersing male,  sits grooming himself on a residential pavement in December 2017. 

For days a number of residents were concerned that the young male baboon kept holding up his right hand or limping as he moved about in the Welcome Glen and Capri areas. 

On 7 December, 2017, he was cage trapped by the service provider and taken to be examined by the SPCA vet.  In a statement on their Facebook page the SPCA said that the injury was due to a ruptured abscess which was cleaned out. 

While no cause of the abcess was given,  causes could possibly include a dog bite or stones thrown or a result of baboon fighting.  

Minutes before the service provider arrive to trap him, Dodger examines his swollen hand. 

The SPCA  posted on their Facebook page on 8 December, 2017, the day after Dodger was captured. 

"DODGER AKA SK7 Dodger, also known as SK7 was brought into the SPCA yesterday so that a troubling wound on his hand could be assessed and treated. The wound, found to be a ruptured abscess thankfully only required cleaning and some ointment and he was soon on his way to a holding facility for monitoring. He is reportedly doing well today and his hand appears to be healing well!"

Following a number of enquiries from people regarding Dodger's status, the SPCA  wrote on their Facebook page on 13 December, 2017:

'As per our earlier post, Dodger is well and has been released today.'

In a subsequent post the SPCA  added a photo. stating:

'Following several enquiries from the public into the well-being of Dodger who was treated at our SPCA last week, we are pleased to say that he is doing well and has been released back into his natural habitat. Go Well Dodger!!!'

PHOTO COURTESY Cape of Good Hope SPCA

The service provider confirmed that Dodger had been released in the vicinity of the northern troops.  This is relatively far from the two southern troops he was moving between before he was injured and then cage trapped.  

There are a large number of males in the Northern troops and whether Dodger will be able to enter one of them remains to be seen,  as attempts to do so will be met with fierce resistance from the males of those troops.   

It is a particularly lonely and dangerous time for a dispersing male, vulnerable to being injured should the males of a potential troop fight him off.   

In recent years injuries deemed as 'male on male'  have not been treated as a matter of course or timeously,  sometimes  resulting in infections and subsequent euthanasia, including after gangrene set in. 

During the period he was held, Dodger was tagged and collared to keep track of his movements. Regrettably, many of the baboons who have undergone this process, coming under 'watch',  have also eventually been culled,  euphemistically termed 'euthanized' by management, even though the animal is young and healthy.