Male baboon that escaped Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown, Sydney finally has vasectomy

The cheeky male baboon who went on a rampage at a Sydney hospital after escaping with with his two ‘wives’ has finally had his vasectomy. 

The 15-year-old male baboon and his female accomplices escaped on Tuesday evening after a lock failed on the truck or crate transporting them at a Royal Prince Alfred Hospital research facility in Camperdown. 

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the ‘Houdini’ baboon had his planned vasectomy on Thursday morning. 

‘Baboon ”Houdini” update: vasectomy has been completed this morning as planned. Procedure went well,’ he wrote on Twitter. 

‘He is now sleeping/resting. His two female family members are relaxed and happy.’ 

Health Minister Brad Hazzard tweeted on Thursday that the male baboon has had the snip 

The baboons that escaped the Sydney Royal Prince Alfred Hospital are seen munching on carrots and a banana

The baboons were contained by police and medical experts before handlers from Taronga Zoo tranquillised them.

Mr Hazzard on Wednesday said the primates were doing well and resting after a ‘big day out’, and the male’s vasectomy had been delayed until Thursday.

The health minister on Thursday confirmed the vasectomy had been performed.

‘Baboon ‘Houdini’ update: vasectomy has been completed this morning as planned. Procedure went well. He is now sleeping/resting. His two female family members are relaxed and happy,’ Mr Hazzard said in a tweet.

The baboons, which are involved in research on reproductive health, kidney disease and gestational diabetes, will be returned to their western Sydney colony after the male recovers.

Mr Hazzard has rubbished claims the animals were being used for research into human-baboon hybrid organs to address the transplant crisis. 

Two of the three baboons who escaped the Sydney hospital are pictured eating carrots

A group of baboons (pictured) escaped from a research facility at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown on Tuesday 

During the Tuesday’s dramatic escape a woman told 2GB Radio that her daughter, who is an occupational therapist at Royal Prince Alfred, had helped to wrangle the baboons.

She texted me, ‘Mum, they were psychotic’,’ she said.

Mr Hazzard said the baboons are used for medical research in the hospital.

‘The research includes reproductive issues, kidney disease, gestational diabetes, a whole range of research areas and with the conclusion of the research they return to the colony in Western Sydney and they usually just live their lives out until old age,’ he said.

The incident has re-ignited concerns over animals used in experimentation.