This baboon found itself at the wrong end of an angry mongoose family when he tried to steal their baby
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The rare sighting was captured on camera by 57-year-old Charmaine Kritzinger, a wildlife lover and enthusiast, during her everyday life in Marloth Park. Charmaine, who resides in this wildlife-rich area, shared her story and footage with LatestSightings.com.
"I was just at home, outside, enjoying the peaceful nature of Marloth Park, when something unusual caught my eye. It was a baboon, running at full speed, and to my surprise, it was carrying a dead mongoose! But that was just the beginning. Another baboon appeared, and he was chasing the large group of mongooses."
In a typical monkey see, monkey do scenario "The second baboon was trying to catch a mongoose, just like his friend. He made several attempts to catch a mongoose. He began by fist assessing them and identifying one mongoose that he was going to go for. However, it was clear that these mongooses were not going to give up without a fight; they were a family.”
“The baboon kept trying to get to the middle of the troop; at first, I could not see why. Then I saw it: a baby mongoose was being protected by its parents and family. That is what the baboon was after. The group of mongooses formed a protective barrier. They turned themselves into one large body almost interlocking themselves together. They moved as one unit; it was actually very intimidating and you could see the determination in their eyes. They were guarding the baby with their lives!”
"The determination of the baboon pushed him to try and break the barrier; he would grab a mongoose by the tail and throw it into the air. But these mongooses were too fast and regrouped before he could grab another. This continued for some time as the baboon kept grabbing the mongoose and flinging them in the air, in the hope that he would get a chance to grab the baby.”
“However, the resilience and protective instincts of the mongooses were just too much. I watched as the realisation set in for the baboon and he turned away. With a defeated look on his face and the mongoose hot on his tail, he had no option but to run away and look for an easier meal.”
"In the end, it was the mongooses who emerged victorious. They managed to fend off the baboon, ensuring the safety of their young ones. Witnessing such a rare and unexpected wildlife interaction was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me."
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