When workers finished packing up the Corona Sunsets Festival in Johannesburg, South Africa, everything seemed to have gone perfectly. The stages were cleared, decorations packed, and trucks loaded for the long 870-mile drive back to Cape Town.
But what no one knew was that one of those trucks had an extra, very unexpected passenger.
When the crew began unloading equipment days later, they opened a box — and came face to face with a tiny bush baby peeking back at them. Somehow, the little creature, later named Maurice, had curled up inside during the festival and accidentally embarked on a cross-country road trip.
The stunned workers quickly contacted the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, who rushed to the scene. Other than being hungry, thirsty, and a little dazed, Maurice was miraculously unharmed. The real challenge, however, was figuring out what to do next.
“The SPCA’s Dr. Fatima Mayet immediately fell in love with him,” said Wendy Willson of the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital (JWVH). “She wondered if returning him to Johannesburg and his family was a possibility.”
Since bush babies don’t naturally live in Cape Town, releasing him there wasn’t an option. So the SPCA contacted the JWVH for help. Together, they identified exactly where Maurice had come from and secured the necessary permits to send him home.
Thanks to the help of Impact for Wildlife and Airlink, Maurice was soon flown safely back to Johannesburg. The veterinary hospital welcomed him for a 48-hour checkup — and he wasted no time settling in.
“Maurice kicked back and enjoyed the tasty menu provided, showing a particular love of organic banana yogurt,” Willson said.
Finally, about a week and a half after his accidental adventure began, it was time for Maurice to return to the wild.
“Dr. Jess van der Merwe opened his carrier and placed it in a tree,” Willson said. “Maurice quickly realized he was home. He scooted straight out and up the tree, stopped for a brief, grateful glance back — and then disappeared into the canopy.”
What started as a simple festival cleanup turned into a cross-country rescue — and a heartwarming reminder that even the smallest traveler deserves to find their way home.
