Dogs, Monkeys and Baboons in South Africa

Where this happens

Vervet monkeys are common through KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and parts of the Eastern Cape. Chacma baboons overlap with suburbs across the Cape Peninsula, the Overberg, the Garden Route and parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

Both are habituated to human food, which brings them into gardens where dogs are.

Why the injuries are serious

A large male baboon substantially outweighs most dogs and has canine teeth longer than a leopard’s. Dogs that engage a troop are frequently killed or very seriously injured.

Monkey bites are smaller but deep and heavily contaminated. Puncture wounds close over the surface and abscess underneath, so a wound that looks minor on the day is often not.

Any bite wound from a primate should be seen by a vet within twenty-four hours, even if it looks trivial.

Reducing the conflict

• Do not leave dog food outside. It is the single largest attractant
• Secure bins with clips or keep them in a locked enclosure
• Fit burglar bars or screens on kitchen windows — troops enter homes
• Harvest fruit trees rather than letting fruit fall
• Never feed them, including indirectly through a compost heap

A property that offers no food is visited far less often, and a garden without a troop in it is a garden where the dogs are safe.

If your dog engages a troop

Do not physically intervene between a dog and a baboon. People are seriously injured doing this.

Make noise from a distance, use a hose, and recall the dog. A reliable recall is genuinely the safety equipment here.

Bring dogs in during the hours the troop moves through, which is usually early morning and late afternoon on a fairly predictable route.

Afterwards

Any puncture wound needs veterinary attention, clipping, flushing and usually antibiotics. Expect roughly R1,200 to R4,000 for wound management, more if surgical exploration or drains are needed.

Rabies is a consideration in some regions. Make sure your dog’s rabies vaccination is current — it is legally required in any case.

Report persistent problem troops to your municipality or the relevant conservation authority rather than taking action yourself. Harming these animals is a criminal offence.