Hamadyas baboon (Papio hamadryas).
Hamadyas baboon (Papio hamadryas).
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Swart, Sandra. “Killing a Baboon: Applied History and the Anthropocene Ape.” Springs: The Rachel Carson Center Review, no. 7 (May 2025).
#JusticeForRaygun is trending in South Africa. He was a young male baboon who had left his mother’s troop and set off, on a journey to adulthood. This meant he had to navigate the urban hazards of South Africa’s administrative capital Pretoria. No one remembers how he got the name Raygun, but his moniker became well-known; across the nation people were talking about him. Indeed, Raygun had many people cheering for him. Ordinary people shared WhatsApp messages and phone calls to shepherd him through the urban hazards in early February 2025. Aided by a local NGO, civic society rallied to guide him to safety. Within a mere five days, the little teenage baboon had travelled over 50 kilometres, navigating roads, dogs, and other perils. Towards the end of his travels, many people were already celebrating his escape into the “wild.” Social media lit up with the thought of his survival and the possibility of his finding a new troop of baboons. It was a moment of hope. (From the article)
This article was originally published in Springs: The Rachel Carson Center Review. Springs is an online publication featuring peer-reviewed articles, creative nonfiction, and artistic contributions that showcase the work of the Rachel Carson Center and its community across the world.
2025 Sandra Swart
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