In 1881, a railway worker in South Africa enlisted an unusual assistant: a Chacma baboon named Jack. After losing both legs in a rail accident, signalman James “Jumper” Wide trained Jack to help him navigate daily tasks—and then taught him to operate signal levers on the Cape Town–Port Elizabeth Railway.
A Primate with a Job Title
Jack’s skills raised suspicions when someone reported seeing a baboon changing railway signals. An investigation was launched. Officials tested Jack under supervision and, impressed by his accuracy, formally hired him. He was paid 20 cents per day and a weekly ration of half a bottle of beer.
Nine Years Without Error
Jack worked as an assistant signalman for nine years. According to multiple eyewitnesses and museum documentation, he never made a single mistake in his duties, which included switching tracks and signaling incoming trains.
Final Years and Documentation
Jack died of tuberculosis in 1890. His skull is preserved at the Albany Museum in Grahamstown. His story was documented by Reverend George Howe and later verified through interviews and written statements held in the museum’s archives.
In 1881, a double amputee signalman named James “Jumper” Wide hired a Chacma baboon, Jack, as his assistant.
Wide, who had lost both legs in a rail accident, trained Jack to push his wheelchair and operate railway signal levers on the Cape Town–Port Elizabeth line…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/jvchgcpzpX
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) May 17, 2025