Some smart baboons in South Africa (SA) have discovered an easier way to cool off from the hot weather than seeking out streams or rivers — taking a dip inside family and resort pools! This past week, a series of videos have been making the rounds on the internet, showing the playful monkeys sneaking into backyards when the owners are not around and staging "wild" pool parties.
The first video was released on Facebook on May 14, 2019 by Garth Bradley, the owner of Kalliste, an exclusive retreat in Betty's Bay, SA. The 50-year-old was sitting in his office when he noticed a large, alpha male baboon walking across the backyard. Believing the animal was looking for food in the house, Bradley rushed to check if the kitchen door was closed. That's when he noticed the baboon and his young accomplice frolicking in the pool. Bradley, who caught the playful primates on tape, says, "This is the first time we have had them in our pool - they normally come down every second week or so to forage in the garden. They played in the pool for about five minutes, and it was wonderful to witness."
A family from Marloth Park, a holiday town in northeastern SA, released the second video on YouTube on May 16, 2019. Suspecting that a neighbor was using their pool when they were not home, the owners installed a camera to apprehend the intruders. Though their suspicions proved right, it was not human neighbors but a troop of over-heated baboons that had been taking advantage of the refreshing water. The homeowner explained: "We installed the camera because every time we came back from work, one could see that someone was swimming. Because our property is not fenced off, we at first thought it was our neighbors using it without permission. I told my wife I think it is baboons, but we didn't really want to believe it and hence our decision to get proof in filming them." Given that baboons are very social primates, don't be surprised if backyard pools across South Africa start to see a large influx of the uninvited guests!
Resources: msn.com, Youtube.com, Dailymail.co.uk.
