Help Baboon Matters help Baboons!

Help Baboon Matters help Baboons

It is often difficult to report back on situations that you predicted when they then unfold.

There is no pleasure of “I told you so” in these cases, but rather a more urgent effort to encourage people to recognize the seriousness of the problems and to all work harder and more collaboratively towards the resolutions and long term solutions.

I have been concerned about the Guideline and Protocols for managing baboons since they were first drafted by local academics in 2009 and finally accepted by Cape Nature as the system they would use, over the Western Cape, to adjudge whether permits would be issued for baboons to be killed, relocated or even receive veterinary attention.  

My concerns are based on the fact the guidelines and protocols do not address or mitigate human behaviour but rather criminalize baboons.  My expressed worries are that, as Cape Town has been held up as the model and successful baboon management project, this model would be rolled out in other areas of the Western Cape and South Africa.

Indeed this is happening.  In the Overstrand (Pringle Bay, Bettys Bay, Kleinmond etc.) the system of managing baboons with pain aversion (paintballs) and aggressive management has been contracted by the municipalities whilst all important aspects such as education and waste management are still largely fulfilled by voluntary efforts of NGOs and residents.

It was shocking to see that the tourist center of Knysna had recently issued a tender calling for two professional hunters to kill two baboons, and although the tender was withdrawn due to public pressure, we are aware that the contentious Cape Nature guidelines be will be used in this area.

Along the beautiful, natural Garden Route, we see the areas such as Wilderness, Nature’s Valley, Plettenberg and The Craggs all considering implementation of baboon management – mainly through employment of monitors to chase baboons while the main, acknowledged, attractant of food in waste remains unresolved.  

In all the areas mentioned, there are no effective baboon proof bins, no effective by-laws to hold land owners accountable to succesful baboon proofing methods and there is still the misguided notion that killing individual “problem” baboons will solve the problem…

Killing individual animals solves nothing, but does have the impact of social disruption within the troop and often a correlation of increased foraging opportunities in the human occupied areas, as well as change in troop movement and more and more juvenile baboons moving on their own away from the main troop.

It would be easy to feel over whelmed by the increased roll out of a system that so desperately requires a thorough review and an overhaul through an inclusive, comprehensive process, but I am rather focusing on the positive and draw your attention to the fact that Baboon Matters has had positive meetings with the City Of Cape Town Mayor, his Mayco committee and we have formed strong alliances with other stakeholders resulting in the WAPFSA obtaining a commitment from Minister Bredell to host a workshop process to deal with these ongoing issues.

In our next report back I hope to be able to write about the first of the inclusive workshops Minister Bredell directed as well as results of meetings with the CoCT.

There is so much to be done to help baboons across South Africa and Baboon Matters relies on you for your continued support.