Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
The canines are somewhat like two grappling sickles on each side of the mouth. They
obviously aren't as strong as lion teeth but cut better and penetrate easily. In Jock of the
Bushveld there is a story of a malicious baboon owner allowing dogs to try and attack the
baboon that would initially sham injury lying on its back and the dogs would rush in, only to
have their intestines ripped out by the baboon.
My son was walking across the grass at one of the campsites in the Kruger Park when a
monkey unprovoked ran up behind him and scratched his leg. At Shongwe, a number of kids,
particularly hospital pediatric patients, were attacked by monkeys.
What then about the issue of human on human violence and killing? Our friends noted what a
great place South Africa still is to live but that there are obviously the challenge of crime and
the economy. While there was essentially no political violence in the transfer of power in
1994 between the Nationalist Government and the ANC, the new constitution banned
executions and many prisoners were released, laws were more lenient, the result was a wave
of criminal violence and murders. Fortunately, crime appears to be decreasing from a peak of
40 murders a day in Johannesburg and over 100 deaths per 100,000 populations per year.
After the 1994 elections the rate in the country was about mid 60 per 100,000 per year,
increased to low 70s in 2003 and fortunately more recently has declined to 30s, but this is still
very high. Only countries of Central America and Caribbean have higher rates, related partly
to civil war and drug cartels. In the USA it is about 5 per 100,000 per year in total. Of these,
gun related murders have declined from a high of 7 related to guns in 1993 to 3.6 in 2010
according to a Pew study, and decline of 75% of non-fatal gun related violence. For the year
ending March 2011, there were 32 murders per 100,000, down 7% from the previous year and
half of 1994. This compares for the same time period of 28 fatal motor vehicle deaths per 100,
0000 a year, one of the few countries where the risk of death from murder is higher than
vehicular deaths. In the USA, vehicular deaths are approximately three times those of murder
(34K versus 16K) and it is likely to decline more as cars become more automated in rich
countries, such as with the Google controlled cars that will reduce human errors (90% of
motor vehicle accidents are human error related, hence the problem of liability for the new
vehicles when humans cannot be blamed). This decline started with the World Cup. President
Zuma's orders were to the police to be more aggressive in tracking and even shooting
criminals. Our friends related cardiothoracic surgery practice is getting more and more
difficult to maintain in South Africa, partly because of the spiraling out of control costs of
health care and indeed health care is more expensive than in USA, as are cars, many foods, and
restaurants. Nevertheless, the democracy is working, despite flaws, and one of my friends,
who is head of the South African Cardiology Society, is going to meet after the weekend with
the Minister of Health to discuss some of the challenges for heart care in South Africa.
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