As Zambia faces the most severe drought in its history, the stakes for both people and wildlife have never been higher. While water and food resources become exceptionally scarce, there has been an intensifying competition for survival between humans and wildlife in an increasingly fragile environment.
While farmers strive to protect their limited livelihoods in their struggling gardens, wildlife especially primates, increasingly encroach in search of food and water. This basic need for food has led to intensified human-wildlife conflict, creating unforeseen risks, and posing a threat to lives on both sides.
For a farmer, losing an entire vegetable garden to baboons is not merely an inconvenience, but a devastating blow that could mean the difference between food on the table and hunger.
This October, when temperatures are at their highest, a baboon troop in Ngabwe (Central Province) raided a garden, destroying a farmer's hard-earned crops. Desperate and eager to save the remaining crops, their source of livelihood, her children acted in anger, killing two mother baboons, and leaving the two tiny babies clinging to their mother's dead bodies. The farmer took the two baboon babies with the intention of selling them as an opportunity to offset the losses caused by the raid.
Our Wildlife Rescue team was alerted by one of our wildlife crime informers of the two tiny orphan baboons displayed and priced for sale at the local market. We could see from the photos that they were only around a week or so old and would need immediate support. We liaised with our nearby Resource Protection team who then visited under cover to confirm their presence. Within 2 days, Comas Mumba, ZPP Project Manager was on the ground and attended the marketplace with Zambian National Police Officers and DNPW Wildlife Police Officers in an undercover confiscation operation. The farmer did not resist handing over the baboons to the authorities although she was very angry about her financial losses and food security.
The team counseled her on the illegality of her actions and cautioned her with arrest for any further offences. Cosmas also provided some advice on baboon deterrents to help secure her vegetable garden and farm from future baboon raids.
We proceeded immediately to Lusaka to take the babies to UNZA Vet School for clinical assessment. Due to their very young age, they were not sedated but were deemed to be healthy, albeit dehydrated, malnourished, and traumatized. Being so young they urgently needed milk formula and good rest and were in a vulnerable state. Just like human babies, newborn baboons need constant care, warmth, and nourishment. If separated from their mothers, they are helpless.
With thanks to support from long-term partners Born Free Foundation and Olsen Animal Trust we have recently implemented a new primate enclosure in Lusaka National Park, alongside the Elephant Nursery, in order to increase our support to primates at point of rescue, before transfer to the Primate Transit Home in Kafue National Park.
The newly constructed primate rescue enclosure at the Lusaka National Park.
Upon arrival at Lusaka National Park, the baboons were immediately offered infant milk formula in specialized bottles which they drank very well and quickly fell asleep, they were totally exhausted from the trauma and travel since they had lost their mothers. Our rescue team are now providing the constant care, attention, warmth, and contact that they would have received from their mothers which includes feeds every two hours.
GRI-Zambia Primate Project Manager Cosmas gently caresses the young baboons at Lusaka National Park and they rapidly fall asleep
These are Kinda Baboons which are a smaller and more slender species of baboons (compared to the chacma and yellow faced baboons which are also found in Zambia) and unlike the black-furred newborn infants of other baboons, Kinda infants often have white natal coats, which is seen here with this female who has been named Nsoni, meaning ‘shy’ in local Nyanja language. The male, darker in colour, was named Kasuba, meaning ‘sun’ as from the moment he arrived in Lusaka National Park, we noticed him constantly moving to sit in the sun and warm himself.
In these early days to replicate the body contact they desperately need from their mothers, we have dedicated primate handlers who are with them and holding them as much as they need and want. Over the first week, this was almost constant as they recovered from their exhaustion, trauma and losses. To maintain hygiene during their care the tiny orphans are fitted with premature baby nappies to keep the handlers clean during the long hours of handling and comfort. At night or if left alone (even primate handlers need a bathroom break!), they hold onto hot water bottles wrapped in blankets, along with stuffed toys that serve as substitutes for their mothers’ warmth and comfort.
Kasuba and Nsoni (L) wearing the tiny nappies in the primate enclosure and (R) Nsoni sleeping on a toy.
After spending a few days of around-the-clock care, we witnessed remarkable progress from the tiny baboons, who arrived dehydrated and lethargic. Kasuba and Nsoni began to show strong signs of recovery and increased energy levels as they became more curious about their surroundings, and we have seen their emerging personalities. Kasuba being very inquisitive and active, climbing up the branches and often seen sitting in the primate sleeping house. Nsoni is more reserved and prefers to snuggle with her handler or a cuddly toy. They will continue their initial rehabilitation in Lusaka National Park until they are less human ‘contact’ dependant and are ready to progress to the Nursery at the Primate Transit Home in Kafue National Park.
Kasuba (left) and Nsoni start to explore their new environment after a few days of intensive recovery
Over the past few years, we have seen a reduction in the number of primates reported and rescued from the illegal pet trade in the Copperbelt region, and we hope that this is indicative of the continued presence and awareness created by ZPP over the past 22 years of operation. Nevertheless, as human populations continue to expand into wild spaces there are ever-increasing human-wildlife conflict challenges that result in losses on both sides. This highlights the need to address underlying causes such as habitat loss, climate change, and poverty, to find sustainable solutions that benefit both local communities and wildlife.
The GRI-Zambia Primate Project operates in partnership with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife, Born Free Foundation, Olsen Animal Trust, Humane Society International-Australia, Fondation Brigette Bardot, and African Parks who work as partners to manage Kafue National Park.
Please consider donating to help us support Kasuba and Nsoni on their journey back to the wild where they belong.
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