A call has been reissued for information about the suspected hunter caught on camera abusing an injured baboon in South Africa.
Footage emerged last week of the unidentified man mocking the wounded animal, South Africa's National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) reported.
The organization has now reissued its appeal for any information that could help identify the man, offering a 10,000 rand ($711) reward.
The footage showed the injured baboon alongside a laughing man, who is physically restraining the animal for the camera. The baboon can be seen bleeding heavily from a head wound and struggling to retain consciousness.
The video shows the man holding the primate by the arm as it struggles to breathe, asking, "Does it hurt?" and laughing along with his companion, who is recording the interaction. He also tells the injured animal to "stop complaining" as blood pours from its head.
According to the Metro, the NSPCA wrote in a social media post: "It would appear that the injuries sustained were as a result of a hunt/killing attempt. In the video the baboon is still alive and is gasping for air and bleeding." It is not clear whether the animal survived or died from its injuries.
Offering the $711 reward, the NSPCA charged the man with "tormenting the poor victim and prolonging his suffering." The organization said it "fully intends to charge him with animal cruelty under the Animals Protection Act, as this behavior is beyond cruel. We ask all our supporters to share this post far and wide."
"We would like to sincerely thank everyone who donated to help us raise this reward," The NSCPA continued, "Your assistance helps us get justice for abused animals."
South Africa's NSCPA is currently investigating another attack on a baboon, this time in Laingsburg, a town some 150 miles northeast of Cape Town, Independent Online reported. This incident involved a dog attacking a baboon, with both animals locked together in a cage, as a farmer watches laughing, animal welfare group Baboon Matters noted. The group said this is a regular occurrence.
NSPCA Wildlife Unit manager Martie Rossouw explained the organization had received six complaints of baboon abuse this year. "It is so brutal and violent," she said. "What kind of person lives in a community and does something like this? If they can do this to an animal, imagine what they can do to a human being."
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