Painted blue from head to tail, a vervet monkey wanders through Deer Park in Nelson Mandela Bay after being caught and coated by an unknown culprit
Animal welfare activists have condemned what they describe as a shocking act of cruelty after a wild vervet monkey was captured, pinned down, covered in blue paint and released back into its territory in Nelson Mandela Bay.
The monkey, which was spotted in Deer Park on Sunday, is now reportedly clawing at and licking the paint coating its body, raising fears that it could suffer poisoning, skin damage and a prolonged, painful death.
Monkey Matters Eastern Cape, which has rescued primates in the province for more than 25 years, said the animal has not yet been captured because it continues moving with its troop and does not remain in one place long enough for rescuers to reach it.
The organisation believes the monkey was targeted because of a long-standing myth that painting a monkey will cause its troop to reject it and leave the area.
