The first thing you usually notice about bushbabies is their enormous eyes. Makes sense really, as the little guys are nocturnal and rely on their eyes, and their disproportionately large ears to survive and hunt for food. On closer inspection, though, they also have the cutest of noses – just like an upside-down heart.
When my husband was serving in the South African Defense Force during the Border War of the 1980’s, he was based in South West Africa (Namibia). His platoon rescued a little bushbaby from a local at the side of the road, who was hoping for a fast buck from the sale.
The poor creature was not in the best shape.
The soldiers caught insects like cockroaches and crickets for his meals. They also wisely closed the room’s curtains so that it was almost in complete darkness. Their new playmate liked hanging out in the corner of the room above the metal lockers. The soldiers probably enjoyed having this bundle of life around during those dark times.
However, bushbabies are not meant to be pets, and so after about three weeks of TLC in the army barracks, he was well enough to be released back into the bush. So, under cover of darkness, a couple of the soldiers let the little guy scamper off into the bushes on the army base.
Obviously, it was sad to see so much cuteness leave, but after a time of mutual benefit, the soldiers knew freedom was the only option for him.
It’s been a wet weekend in Cape Town, so the paintbrushes came out and I painted this little bushbaby mostly in Payne’s Gray, Vandyke Brown and Raw Sienna and Cadmium Orange.
It’s heart-warming to think of the tiny bushbaby from all those years ago who touched the lives of the soldiers amidst all the shooting and chaos of war.
