Volunteers and professionals from Wilderness Search And Rescue (WSAR) responded to Dappat Se Gat, between the Steenbras River Mouth and Kogel Bay Beach, after a model reported that she’d become stuck on a ledge while attempting to retrieve her bag.
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According to Mariana Keyser: “I was doing a model shoot on the beach when a baboon came and grabbed my bag.
“As soon as I saw the baboon had left my bag alone and left, I started climbing up to retrieve it.
“When I reached my bag, I looked down and only then realised how high up I was.
“I thought it would be easier to keep going up, but when I reached about three metres to the top, I saw all the moss and made the decision to not go any further. I found some ground to stand on and asked my photographer to please get some help.”
Placed in a rescue harness
An urgent call was made to the emergency number – (021) 937 0300.
Once on scene, a rescuer abseiled down to her.
She was placed into a rescue harness and lowered down the rest of the sea side cliff.
A drone from the Western Cape Government Health and Wellness EMS Drone Unit was used to monitor the team’s progress down the cliff, while also alerting them to the movements of the remaining baboons.
The drone’s presence, together with it’s powerful spotlight, quickly drove off the weary troop.
Baby baboon went to sleep
“Two baboons came to sit right next to me; I thought about climbing up again but knew that it would be better to wait. I started singing very calm songs to try and be calm. I only got stressed out when a baby baboon wanted to come to me; it’s the only time the male baboon got a little aggressive.
“As soon as it was dark, the baby went to sleep, so they calmed down. The baboons sat next to me while I waited for help, the whole time.
“When help arrived, the baboons moved away.
“I have never been so happy in my life to see a person and we abseiled down,” said Keyser.
The incident was concluded shortly after 23:00.
