Release Permit Issued & Recieved! Dreams, hopes & goals are being realised!

It has taken over a year of planning, research, meetings and organising until finally we hold in our hands, that all important piece of paper; the Permit to Release Chacma Baboons!

For those with limited knowledge of primate rehabilitation it may not seem like much, however, for us, it is the light at the end of a very long tunnel; the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow; the thing that makes every single thing we do worth it.

When C.A.R.E.'s Managing Director Stephen and I stepped upon this reserve, what we have been calling our "Baboon Eden", it's like every cell in our bodies came alive again. Hope reignighted. C.A.R.E. was going to be ok, our baboons were going to be free again. All the years of struggle and hardwork will be rewarded. At this point we didn't have the permission of the Nature Conservation Authorities, the regulatory body of which we are governed by to release; but when there is a will there is a way, and this site was so perfect we knew it would be hard for them to find reason to say no.

After meetings, site visits, research, proposals and persistance our hopes and dreams to make this paradise a home for two troops of lucky baboons has now become a reality! As we post our South African Veterinarian is carrying out the healthchecks and we are in our final stages of planning!

We are not disclosing the site whereabouts as yet, as the release itself takes anywhere between 4-6 months and is a finely balanced process. We will keep you posted on how things go. We are so elated that our persistance and planning has paid off.

Firstly we are releasing KC troop. This troop is a well bonded troop with good sex ratio.

If anyone would like to help with the release monetary donations are most welcome as we had to purchase a quadbike for the uneven terrain and a satellite phone as there is no cellphone coverage at the site. Donations can easily be made via the website donate button. If you would like to help through providing material things, we need plenty of tinned food for the release team, walking boots (UK size 8), dried food for the release team, fuel, camping equipment. Huge thank you to Rachel and James O'Connor, a husband and wife team that volunteered at the Centre last month for donating a camera and GoPro to help us document the release!

Thank you to Jennifer Cisna & Alynne de Haan for providing us with a GPS to help with the research data collection at the site!

Thank you to Veterinarian Lizanne Meiring for joining us to ensure all the pre-release veterinary checks are done well and efficiently.

Thank you to all those who have donated recently helping us to purchase the quad bike and sattelite phone. Please continue to support us and make this release another success for these very lucky baboons. We need your help, you can make a difference!

Author Samantha Dewhirst | Assisting Manager

C.A.R.E.