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UCT puts baboons in good CARE
19 September 2012
On the move: Baboons settle into life at the Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and Education in Limpopo. |
Last year's decision by UCT not to use wild-caught baboons for medical research was inspired by the Senate Animal Ethics Committee's (SAEC) resolution to move away from such research, part of its commitment to reflect the current standards of best international practice in research ethics.
In the wake of this decision, UCT (although it has not been involved in either trapping or housing research baboons) made the additional commitment to purchase 11 female baboons that were intended for research purposes. UCT transferred these animals to a baboon sanctuary, the Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and Education (CARE), near Phalaborwa in Limpopo, where they will live out the remainder of their lives. UCT has also provided financial and logistical assistance to make this possible.
The operation required intricate contractual arrangements, import and export permits from the Western Cape and Limpopo, tests on the baboons for TB and other infectious diseases, building special high-volume cages that are allow for the gradual integration of the baboons into a group or groups, and sophisticated transport arrangements.
Deputy vice-chancellor for research Professor Danie Visser said that "the inspiration for what has turned out the be a great success story came from the former chairperson of the SAEC, Dr Elisa Galgut, of the Department of Philosophy; Associate Professor Mike Picker of the Department of Zoology was centrally involved in realising the project; while the director of the Animal Unit, Dr Bert Mohr, took responsibility for getting all the logistics in place; and a great many other people assisted in one way or another to make this idea a reality."
