BABOONS FOR THE ZOO.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 1 August 1925, Page 11

BABOONS FOR THE ZOO.

HOW THEY ARE CAUGHT. TRAPS AND STRATEGY. Mr. Frank Hayter, who recently handed over ninety baboons of the Hamadryad species to the London Zoo. returned recently' to his home, Franchi. stone, near Hereford. Speaking' to an interviewer of the methods employed in capturing the baboons, Mr. Hayter said jt was curiosity which led to their entry into the trap rather than the temptation of the bait which, was laid. When the area in which they Jived was located a trap in the shape' of a native hut was built. The work was done at night s o that the •suspicions of the animals should not be aroused. The hut was fitted with a sliding door, which could be released !>v the hunters, who would be hiding near by, and the animals which had been tempted inside by' a trail of maize became prisoners. Mr. Hayter continued: After the trap ha s been prepared it is not long before the procession starts. Each colony of baboons has a leader, and the animals quickly make the discovery that there is a hut to be plundered. They gather in the distance, and then the leader starts off on a tour of inspection. Following the trail of maize which has been laid, and helping himself liberally as he makes the journey, the leader approaches the hut with extreme caution.. .Every now .and again he gambols back to the colony to report progress, and there is a tremendous din at the “conference” which ensues . The leader leaves the. animals, chattering and barking, while lie makes further advances in his scouting expedi. tion. When he at last reaches the but he pee us in, and, seeing maize fieely* scattered about the floor of the hilt and no human being in sight, grabs a handful and scampers back with it to the company to explain how easy it is. The baboon becomes bolder on the next trip, and as lie disappears into the hut there is such a hullabahoo from the other animals that it can be heard over a long distance. When the leader luvs satisfied himself that all 13 ■well inside the hilt and that there is plenty to plunder he again goes back to the main body, makes his report, and returns to 'thoroughly investigate the outside of the building. The examination is very complete, and when the leader goes back to give word that ail is clear the “general ad. vanco” begins. The animals come a rush in a body, and 1 there is a tremendous scramble to get into the hut. Sometimes there are from twenty to thirty in the hut when the door is let down, and then the noise starts again. Those inside make frantic efforts to get out, and those outside make equally frantic efforts to get in. We.have to come out in .force- to frighten away those which are outside. Sometimes thev show fight, but the discharge of a few rifles soon sends them scampering back to their haunts. . It is one thing-to trapped in the hut, Bilt it is altogether another thing to sort them out into boxes for trarisnort to England. This is do lie by fixing a box outside the door, lifting the door slightly so that the animal can be driven in, and the baboons are imprisoned by letting down the sliding front of the box and secur--11 The animals are driven into the boxes by the spears of the natives, unshed through holes which are made in the back of the hut. Sometimes thev make such a rush for the as soon ns it. has been, made, that z is with the utmost difficu.ty that the boxes are kept in position. You generally get a'box full of males and -