Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Baboon ready for vasectomy escapes with 2 female pals


Storm Gifford

In movies, it’s usually the humans running from the primates.


© AP Photo/Halden Krog In this photo taken on Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, baboons forage near the Buitenverwachting Wine Farm in the historic wine growing area of Constantia, Cape Town. Groups of baboons regularly raid vineyards on the foothills of South Africa’s Table Mountain, dodging and weaving as farm workers with motorbikes and paintball guns try to chase them off the land. The workers even wear leopard print clothes and lion masks in an attempt to scare off the baboons on the mountainside overlooking Cape Town. The cat-and-mouse maneuvers are happening in the Constantia vineyards, home to farms that produce some of South Africa’s finest wines. (AP Photo/Halden Krog)

Three Australian baboons — including a male who was set to receive a vasectomy — made a break for it Tuesday by escaping from a truck at a Sydney research facility, confirmed police.


After shocked onlookers spotted the trio of simians in a parking lot, officials were able to capture them unharmed, reported the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Brad Hazzard, the New South Wales Minister for Health and Medical Research, stated that the 15-year-old male was accompanied by two females baboons who were meant to keep him calm before his surgery.

“He cut loose before the big cut,” joked Hazzard.

The animals reportedly aren’t involved in research projects, and the minister claimed the vasectomy for the male would go on as planned.

“The reason they are doing (the operation) is to allow (the baboon) to continue to live his life in peace and harmony with his own family and they couldn’t have him continuing constantly to breed within the troupe because it presents all sorts of genetic problems.”

Some Aussies found humor in the not-so-great escape.

“And, I for one, welcome our new escaped baboon overlords,” joked Twitter user Justin Warren.

Another social media user also piled on.

“Can’t believe Melbournians think Sydney has no culture when stuff like this happens,” tweeted Joe Cordy.

But Animal Justice Party MP Emma Hurst was in no mood to chuckle, claiming the baboons were medical experimentation survivors.

“Several baboons have made an attempted flee to freedom in a desperate attempt to avoid further painful procedures forced upon their bodies against their will,” wrote Hurst on social media. “These are the hidden faces behind animal experimentation in this country.”


SEE
https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2020/02/sydney-baboon-escape-police-confirm.html

No comments: