The baboon has been terrorizing the community for the past four months, damaging crops and belongings.
Residents of Madina, Grand Cape Mount County, are living in fear after a chimpanzee severely injured several people, including a seven-year-old child.
By Obediah Johnson, [email protected]
The baboon has been terrorizing the community for the past four months, damaging crops and belongings. It is believed to have migrated from a nearby forest into the town.
On the morning of Tuesday, February 11, the baboon attacked a mother and her child, prompting locals to arm themselves with cutlasses, guns, and other weapons.
Town Chief explained that they were preparing to work in the graveyard when they heard the baboon had attacked one of the town’s daughters and carried her child into the bush. The child was severely injured and taken to a local clinic in Sinje for treatment.
The town’s residents have launched a search to find and kill the baboon. “If we see the baboon today, we will get rid of it,” said one resident, frustrated with the government’s lack of action. “The Forestry Development Authority (FDA) told us not to harm the baboon, but it’s harming our people.”
Residents Express Anger Over Government Inaction
Alieu Kendrick, a town elder, expressed disappointment with the government’s failure to intervene despite multiple complaints. “We will not wait for the government anymore,” Kendrick said. “We are ready to be jailed for killing the baboon because it is endangering our lives.”
Kendrick criticized the government’s slow response, saying authorities often wait until situations worsen before acting. “Who am I to protect wildlife? We’re not waiting for them anymore,” he added.
Financial Strain on the Community
Lamin Manobah, another resident, highlighted the financial strain caused by the baboon’s attacks. “The victims are spending their own money to seek treatment,” he said. Manobah urged the government to relocate the baboon if it is indeed a protected species. “We cannot continue to live in fear. If the government knows it’s a protected animal, they should take it away.”
Previous Attacks by the Baboon
This is not the first time the chimpanzee has attacked residents of Madina. Recently, it mauled an elderly man, Joe Armstrong, chopping off one of his fingers and injuring his arm.
Armstrong said the FDA had advised the community to feed the chimpanzee if it came around, which led him to offer it a banana. “I tried to feed it, and it attacked me,” Armstrong said, still in pain. He added that the baboon is not alone and that others often appear in the area.
Government Response and Legal Issues
Despite repeated attacks, the government, through the FDA, has yet to take significant action to protect the community. The FDA’s directive against harming baboons is in line with Liberia’s wildlife protection laws.
The National Wildlife Conservation and Protected Area Management Law, passed in 2016, aims to protect endangered species and support biodiversity conservation in line with international agreements like CITES and the Convention on Biological Diversity.
The FDA has not made any statement on the latest attack by the chimpanzee. It has called for the strict adherence to Liberia’s wildlife and conservation law.
