The Simon’s Town Civic Association (STCA) is calling on residents to participate in dialogues towards an effective baboon management strategy in the South Peninsula.
Simon Metcalfe, chair of the association, said residents were stressed and challenged.
“Co-existing with the troops is very socially divisive and we must find a positive way forward. The reality is that we, the residents, ‘own the problem’ and pay the costs but, on our own, (we) don’t have the means to find a sustainable solution.
“The present governance set-up fails to manage the troops as they move across administrative boundaries between the City, the Navy and (Table Mountain) National Parks.”
He adds that they are facing a very complex issue concerning a highly mobile, intelligent and social species.
“Some say the troop numbers are too big, that they are now habituated to our food attractants, and the problem is getting worse. Many people have opinions but the solutions evade us. The consequences of failure are dire for both the baboons and our civic life.”
Metcalfe calls for a long-term strategy to be developed through dialogue.
“We need a long-term strategy, and one that has to be developed and owned collaboratively by the authorities that are legally mandated or who manage the land where the baboon troops roam.
“We, who own the problem first hand, have done a lot to adapt and help but without a strategy we can all believe in, our efforts and those of Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) Environmental Services are never going to be enough.
“The template exists for a collaborative approach between the various authorities but is currently dormant.
“I believe there is a huge amount of goodwill available among the local residents and from various NGOs and academics to contribute to developing a sustainable management strategy and plan.”
A collective statement from Simon’s Town residents, issued on Thursday 31 March, said that the three local baboon troops, namely Smitswinkel, Waterfall and Da Gama Park, have become increasingly habituated to visiting urban and suburban areas, eating from gardens and, wherever they can, getting into homes to take food.
“These visits cause many residents considerable stress and cost and others at least substantial inconvenience. Some close encounters have been traumatic, especially for children and the elderly.
“Baboons too are at risk from dog attacks, cars and aggressive humans. Individually and as a community, we have worked hard to find smart ways to be one step ahead of the baboons such as securing household bins, getting council to remove bins from certain beaches, liaising closely with Solid Waste Cleansing to replace standard public bins in key areas with more effective models, and organising the collection of food waste from High Street establishments.”
Residents further stated that their broader goal was to curtail baboon entry into urban areas.
“Baboons are wild primates and science suggests that the best future of their troops lies with remaining as wild as possible, in both their habitat and their diet.
“For their good as well as ours, any new strategy should, therefore, have a clear goal to curtail baboon entries into our urban spaces.
“At the same time, our own humanity means we do not wish them any avoidable harm in pursuit of this end.”
The statement further read that dialogue needed to take place to arrive at a point of agreement.
“Our intention is to develop a voice that can credibly represent the great majority of Simon’s Town residents.
“We believe that if we can achieve a genuinely coherent Simon’s Town voice to take into the negotiations, we will be able to help the authorities come to a sensible and sustainable strategy.”
The Murdock Valley Baboon Task Team has proposed that the most appropriate body for housing this coherent residents’ voice should be the STCA.
Residents who would like to remain actively informed of developments can email the chair at simonmet3@gmail.com with the subject line: “Baboon Strategy YES”.
If you have a question prior to offering your support, email your question to the chair.
Meanwhile in a joint statement by Cape Nature and the City of Cape Town on Wednesday 15 June, individuals were invited to apply to relocate three male baboons.
“Cape Nature and the City of Cape Town invite organisations and interested individuals to apply to Cape Nature for permits for the translocation of three raiding male baboons to suitable wildlife facilities outside of the Western Cape.”
If no applications are received, or none is successful, Cape Nature and the City of Cape Town will reconvene to decide the future of the baboons.
“This may include euthanasia if no other alternatives are available.”
Resident Di Ruthenberg says the killing of male baboons has to stop.
“My boy Nomahahlele. Alpha male of the Waterfall Troop that lives less than 1km from our home. He is now on death row – disguised by an ‘up for adoption’ notice put out by Cape Nature and the City of Cape Town.
“Why? Because he eats trash that humans can’t be bothered to secure, because humans provoke him when he enters their homes which they refuse to baboon proof. He is shot at with paintballs by rangers to keep him moving on most days.
“We have to stop the killings and save our male baboons.”
