First rescue call of the day, early, for adult male Vervet Monkey hit by a motor vehicle on M13 Eastbound just after Stapleton Road bridge. Dead!
In quick succession two separate incidents reported from different locations on Ashley Drive, Gillitts where Vervet Monkeys were once again the victims of motor vehicle strike. Both calls referred to Kloof and Highway SPCA who responded. Fate unknown!
An hour or so later a rescue call from Dan Pienaar Road in Northdene, Queensburgh, this time a young Vervet run over and, as with earlier reported MVAs, left dead or dying on the road surface by the hit-and-run drivers! Caller agreed to take the little body to the Northdene Vet Clinic for dignified disposal.
Next call came from Klinker Place, Briardene off Nandi Drive where a baby Vervet Monkey was entrapped in security razor wire protecting a business property. Fortunately, following our advice, the staff were able to secure the baby in a towel whilst the tot's hands, feet and tail were gently released from the unforgiving, razor sharp barbs, and then, after deciding that the little monkey's injuries were not too severe, released him/her back to a very angry, defensively aggressive mom monkey. A happy outcome!
At about the same time a desperate-sounding caller from Rodger Place in a Gillitts business centre reported a small monkey running into their office to escape attack by another monkey as two troops of Vervet Monkeys met and clashed briefly at a common territory boundary. In spite of their efforts to chase the injured monkey out of the office he would not budge from his "safe" position on top of the curtain rail. After receiving the rescue call, we immediately called Monkey Helpline assistant rescuer, Justin Kimmerling, who, in no time at all arrived at the scene to quickly capture and secure the tot, after which he delivered the little monkey to Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital for the necessary holding treatment before we collected him later in the day for further treatment by our vet Dr Kerry Easson. Now safe in Carol Booth's care.
Then we received yet another call for a Vervet Monkey struck by a motor vehicle, this one in Inanda Road, Hillcrest, and as with earlier motor vehicle strikes this monkey was also left mortally injured on the road surface. A kind passerby moved the little body off the road onto the grassed verge.
Final incident for the day was called in by numerous drivers traveling north on the M4 (Ruth First Highway). An adult male Vervet Monkey, crossing the highway from inland towards the sea side, was struck by a motor vehicle, once more a hit-and-run, and left huddled in the fast lane close to the edge of the grassy median. After a continuous stream of close calls as drivers swerved at the last moment to avoid going over the monkey, Sean Landsley stopped his vehicle in the fast lane to protect the monkey, hazard lights flashing and a red triangle thirty meters behind his car. After the monkey dragged himself under Sean's car, Sean stood on the median waiting for our arrival from Westville. It was a lucky rescue because had the monkey managed to avoid us grabbing him by the tail as he lay under the front of the car, he was sufficiently conscious and mobile to have run straight out into the heavy traffic, an outcome rather unpleasant to contemplate! Without Sean's quick thinking and brave actions, this handsome male Vervet would undoubtedly have died under a cars wheels. Initially when Sean, traveling on the southbound side of the highway, noticed the monkey beyond the wide, grassy median on the northbound side of the road as he drove by, he was unable to stop, so he drove as quickly as he could to the next off-ramp, crossed over the bridge and got back onto the northbound roadway, his heart pounding, not knowing whether the monkey would still be alive when he got to him, which of course he was! A true hero in every sense of the word! X-rays and a thorough examination by Dr Easson revealed no serious injury or broken bones so we can only presume that the monkey was dazed by a glancing blow from the car that struck him. Now in our care under treatment by Dr Easson, time will reveal the extent of the monkey's injury, if at all! But at this point we can consider him one very lucky monkey!
A further two rescue calls were referred to another rescue organisation, the fate of those monkeys unknown to us!
If "friends" and supporters reading this blog-post are wondering why calls are sometimes referred to other organisations, it is because we are already on a rescue, or all our support rescuers are busy or unreachable and we need to get the monkey/s rescued as quickly as possible to save a life or keep untreated suffering to the shortest time possible. But today was different! Our rescue vehicle was grounded due to a remote control malfunction, over the previous weekend and we only managed to get a new remote control re-coded and the vehicle's immobiliser disengaged so that the vehicle could be started. The frustration of getting all those rescue calls, ELEVEN in total and literally only being able to respond to the very last one of the day, highlighted the extent of the impending tragedy facing the monkeys and other animals if we as Monkey Helpline were forced to stop doing rescues because of a drying up of funds, a position we are fast heading towards if Monkey Helpline's local and international "friends", followers and supporters who do not yet donate to this organisation do not dig deep and help us financially, EVERY MONTH. A small monthly donation from enough of our 10 000+ friends would make a world of difference to the monkeys and other animals who rely on us, on YOU!! Please support us, NOW!!
Monkey Helpline banking details:
Monkey Helpline
First National Bank
Cheque Account
Account number: 6249 8595 770
Branch number: 220629
SWIFT code: FIRNZAJJ
Your reference: Name or Email back
To check out all the ways in which you can donate into the Monkey Helpline bank account click on the link, https://www.monkeyhelpline.co.za/donate
