Ghana’s international conservationist, Dr Caleb Ofori Boateng has expressed worry about the killings of baboons at the Shai Hills Resource Reserve by speeding highway drivers.
The baboons at the Shai Hills Resource Reserve often stray from their enclosure to the busy roadside, where excited travellers often try to feed the animals banana and other fruits.

The regular appearance of the animals on that stretch attracts the attention of both local and international tourists who stop on the busy Tema – Akosombo highway to observe them.

While the animals have grown accustomed to the regular ‘illegal’ supply of their most cherished fruits, they have often come face to face with speeding drivers, and in most instances, pay the ultimate price as they are knocked down and killed.

A latest incident was when a baboon was killed by a speeding vehicle, an incident which has since troubled the country’s celebrated conservationist who has consequently called on the government, wildlife society of Ghana and all conservation stakeholders to, as a matter of urgency, come out with more effective measures to protect the animals.

Dr Caleb Ofori Boateng said a wildlife zone such as the Shai Hills Resource Reserve should have warning signs and speed ramps along the road as it is the normal practice everywhere in the world.

According to him, situations like these expose the nation’s weakness in managing its natural resources.

He is very disappointed that people have failed to appreciate the importance of these animals, and worse, to kill and eat them.

He suggested a nationwide awareness campaign to save the situation.

An Assistant Wildlife Officer at the Shai Hills Resource Reserve, Mr Ishmael Otoo said one of the contributory factors is the feeding of the animals by people, which attract the animals to the roadside and to their unfortunate killing.

He said the animals should fend for themselves since they are in the wild, and that it is nobody’s responsibility to feed them.

Mr Otoo disclosed that the managers of the Resource Reserve do sensitise drivers plying the road, however, given that drivers are still killing them, there should be an increased awareness and other measures to curtail the killings.