The adventure of "Rikha" the Himalayan bear which broke into the refreshment room at the Dublin "Zoo" the other night, pales into insignificance as a piece of queer animal behaviour beside a sight which I once witnessed in another "Zoo."
I had been about an hour in the place when a terrible hubbub attracted my attention. Keepers armed with forks, bars, and other instruments were running in the direction of a large rocky enclosure where about two hundred baboons lived. I followed them, and I shall never forget the sight that met my eyes.
About fifty large male baboons had grouped themselves before the iron gates where, spitting and snarling, they defied the keepers to enter the enclosure. In the meantime every female in the colony was gathered around a shebaboon which they proceeded to beat and tear to death in the most unmerciful manner.
None of the males interfered with this terrible "execution," except to prevent the keepers from interrupting what appeared to be a display of savage animal justice.
When finally the creature died the females joined "hands" with the males and the whole colony formed up in two lines leading to a pond at the lower end of the enclosure. The four large males proceeded to roll the body of the victim between the two lines of screeching, spitting animals, down the incline and into the water, where it disappeared.
Only then did the excitement die down and peace return to the colony. But nobody could ever explain just what the poor little baboon had done to deserve such a terrible fate.
The Irish Times, March 20th, 1939.