Pack of bloodthirsty baboons break three hikers’ legs after rolling huge 130lb boulders over a CLIFF at them
A PACK of bloodthirsty baboons have broken three hikers’ legs after they rolled huge 130lb boulders over a cliff that struck the adventures.
The group of seven were hiking in the Banhoek Mountains, South Africa, when they came under attack from the peeved-off primates.
The mountainous region is in Stellenbosch, which is about 30 miles east of Cape Town and is surrounded by vineyards and nature reserves.
According to local authorities, the pack had just reached a narrow ledge at a waterfall where two of the hikers rappelled down the cliff’s edge to safer ground.
The unusual site of men abseiling down the mountain face was believed to have agitated the baboons up above, who started sending rocks down in their direction.
The remaining five hikers suddenly came under fire from the barrage of stones with a 130lb boulder landing between them.
The giant boulder exploded and sent razor sharp rock shards into the legs of three hikers who collapsed upon impact.
The other two men received minor injuries but one was saved by his safety harness after an incoming rock nearly sent him plummeting over the edge.
One of the hikers below made a SOS emergency call and the Air Mercy Service helicopter was mobilised with a rescue team on board.
With the baboons now out of site, paramedics attended the scene and evacuated the minor-injured victims safely.
The three other men with broken legs were hoisted out by the chopper and dropped off at a rendezvous point where ambulances were waiting.
Johann Marais, a spokesman for the Wilderness Search and Rescue team, said: “We commend the two uninjured hikers for remaining calm and doing a fantastic job caring for the inured and wish them a speedy recovery.”
All hikers are believed to have recovered following the terrifying incident.
A South African primate expert, who asked to be unnamed, said: “Baboons are capable of throwing rocks but they can only throw them underarm.
“Their shoulder blades are at a different angle to the ribs than in humans and are flat into their side so they have to throw underarm but they can throw very hard.
“Whether they were deliberately throwing the rocks at the hikers or just dislodging them… I guess it will never be known but that was a lot of rocks to accidentally dislodge.
“Baboons are curious and can become easily upset by things they are not used to.
“And in this case, they would be used to humans walking along cliff paths but not abseiling down them.
“It takes a lot to accidentally dislodge a 130lb boulder.”