Steve Smit, South Africa’s “Monkey Man,” has died
In 2015 Steve Smit badly injured his right eye while trying to round up rescued chickens in his garden in Westville, near Durban. A branch struck him and almost cost him his sight. Doctors told him to rest. Within weeks he had gone on more than 20 wildlife rescues, wearing an eye patch. For three […]
Steve Smit, a South African known as the "Monkey Man," passed away on August 12th after a struggle with cancer. At the age of 70, Smit dedicated his life to rescuing vervet monkeys that had been injured or killed in various ways. Before this, Smit spent over 25 years in South Africa's intelligence services, initially joining the police after opposing military conscription. His career with the intelligence services included stints in the Bureau of State Security and National Intelligence Service.
Smit's involvement with animals began during his time in government service. In 1985, he founded FALCON (Front for Animal Liberation and Conservation of Nature), which later evolved into Justice for Animals. This organization was South Africa's first animal-rights group. Smit was vocal about his opposition to vivisection, recreational hunting, circuses, wildlife trade, and other animal exploitation practices. His stance often put him at odds with conservationists, who held differing views on animal protection.
Despite the challenges, Smit became a household name in KwaZulu-Natal, earning the moniker "Monkey Man." His tireless efforts to rescue monkeys from perilous situations made him a beloved figure in his community.
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