Mosdene Release

In 2006 C.A.R.E. released a troop of 25 baboons into Mosdene Private Game Reserve; an area of approximately 6 000 ha, which is situated about 10 kilometres outside Naboomspruit, in the Limpopo Province of South Africa.

This was not the first troop to be released in the area, in October 1995 C.A.R.E. introduced a small troop of 14 baboons to Mosdene comprising seven males and seven females. Two years later, in 1997, they lost four males and one female. The female had died of a puff adder snake bite and C.A.R.E. was aware they would lose males as, typically, male baboons leave their home troop after a certain period of time to find a new troop.

In late 2005 a decision was made to introduce another troop into Mosdene and C.A.R.E.’s first step at the beginning of 2006 was to establish the size of the first troop released in 1995 and understand their movements on the reserve. C.A.R.E.’s Release Manager spent some time at Mosdene familiarising himself with the farm and the first troop’s movements and dynamic.

After some time they were able to locate the troop, their foraging grounds and sleeping places on the farm and counted that the troop has grown to 45 animals, including six adult males and many youngsters. This is a huge success in terms of C.A.R.E.’s release program.

In March 2006 a troop consisting of 25 animals; including four adult males, and the rest females and some youngsters, was brought to the farm to start their re-introduction and eventual release back into the wild. Once the new troop had acclimatised and become familiar with their surroundings they were released from the holding enclosures while monitoring continued.

One year on from the release and all is well with both troops. Since their release back into the wild there has been much development between the troops with several of the first troop’s male moving across to the new troop and a couple of the new troop’s females joining the first troop. This interchange of individuals is natural amongst baboon troops in the wild and has proven an important asset for the new troop in settling them in to their new home.

Rita sits watching intently as one of the released male Chacma baboons inspects the new surroundings. Photo © IFAW/Trevor Samson

Sometimes letting go is the hardest, a youngster who has never experienced freedom before watches the rest of the troop from on top of the release cage before venturing out. Photo © IFAW/Trevor Samson