A mother’s worst nightmare unfolded in West Nicholson, Zimbabwe, when a baboon snatched her 18-month-old son, leaving the family in a state of shock and terror.
Petronella Moyo was engrossed in cleaning her house on November 16 when the unexpected visitor made its move, biting the baby’s butt0cks and swiftly dragging him away.
Recalling the harrowing incident to Voice of America’s Studio 7, Moyo shared her heart-stopping account. “I was scrubbing the floor in the bedroom, and the child was playing near the door. Suddenly, I heard the baby screaming, and when I turned to check what was happening, I saw the baboon already dragging him,” she said.
With immense bravery and a surge of maternal instinct, Moyo fearlessly pursued the baboon until it finally relinquished its grip on her child. “I started chasing after it until it let go of him. The wound is very deep,” Moyo disclosed, highlighting the severity of the attack.
As the incident unfolded, Moyo’s worst fears raced through her mind. “The verandah for my house is quite high, and when I saw the baboon jump over with him, I feared the worst. I thought he was dead,” she confessed, her voice filled with the anguish of a mother’s terror.
Thankfully, the injured baby is expected to make a full recovery while receiving treatment at Gwanda Provincial Hospital.
Baboon attacks on humans are exceptionally rare, typically occurring when humans inadvertently corner or provoke the animals. Equipped with sharp teeth and claws, baboons have the potential to inflict severe injuries, and in rare cases, even fatalities.
While such incidents remain rare, they serve as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of wildlife encounters and the need for vigilance, particularly in areas where humans and wild animals coexist. As the traumatized family begins the process of healing, their story stands as a chilling testament to the fragile balance between humans and the untamed world around them.
