Baby snatched by baboon survives after brave mothers chases after animal

A courageous mother recounts her harrowing experience chasing down a baboon to rescue her 18-month-old son from an unexpected attack in West Nicholson, Zimbabwe. Petronella Moyo was cleaning her house on November 16 when the baboon entered, bit the toddler’s buttocks, and attempted to flee with him.

While scrubbing the floor, Moyo heard her baby scream and saw the baboon dragging him away. Swiftly, she chased the baboon until it released her son, leaving a deep wound. Moyo, fearing the worst due to the high verandah, initially thought her child was dead but later found him alive. The baby is expected to fully recover at Gwanda Provincial Hospital.

Baboon attacks on humans are extremely rare, typically involving hunters cornering the animals. Baboons possess sharp canine teeth and claws that can cause severe injuries or fatalities. A notable incident occurred in June 2003 in a remote South African village, where a baboon snatched a three-month-old infant, ripped open his skull, and consumed his brain. The mother, Lettie Goitsimang Tukane, witnessed the gruesome event and attributed it to witchcraft.