Animal activist groups and Constantia residents alike have reacted with frustration and anger at the news that the CT2 troop, who moved across Constantia Nek some time ago, would not be translocated.
Consisting of about 24 chachma baboons, the CT2 troop moved into Cecilia Forest in the middle of 2020.
It wasn’t long before they entered the De Hel greenbelt, the Diep River Trail and the treed properties along Rhodes Drive and neighbouring areas.
As early as February last year, a letter of demand, prepared by Gordon Chunnett in consultation with Constantia residents, was sent to the City of Cape Town.
Chunnett is on the Constantia Rate Payers and Residents Association’s (CRRA) executive committee. One of his portfolio items is baboon issues.
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The letter described how residents were being subjected to baboon-raiding events on their private properties.
“Recent encounters demonstrate that the baboons are intent on entering and raiding homes and structures in search of human stored foodstuffs. Raiding of kitchens, vegetable gardens and dustbins is now a frequent event,” the letter read.
First on their list of demands was the removal of the baboons from the suburb. Since then, this request has been repeated numerous times, the latest being at an online meeting hosted by the City on Thursday 22 September. The purpose of the meeting was to engage with residents and businesses from baboon-affected areas to discuss sustainable urban baboon management proposals.
Chunnett says, at the meeting, residents and animal activists agreed that the troop needed to be moved, both for the baboons and residents’ sake.
A joint statement sent out by the City, SANParks and CapeNature last week – the three members in the Cape Peninsula Baboon Joint Task Team (JTT) -– said that they had met on Tuesday 15 November to discuss the CT2 troop.
“It was acknowledged that it is practically difficult to translocate a whole troop; that there are currently no options for relocation on the Cape Peninsula; and it appears that there is currently no sanctuary that would be able accommodate these baboons. As a result, it was decided not to translocate this troop,” the statement read.
Chunnett says he was disgusted when he read the statement.
“This decision has left residents feeling hopeless and vulnerable. We are living under a tyranny that the City has imposed on residents despite their pledge to create a safe living environment,” says Chunnett.
In 2009, in terms of their mandate to provide health and safety for their residents, the City undertook the extended urban baboon project whereby a tender process ensures that a service provider will reduce conflict by keeping 11 troops of baboons out of urban areas.
Activist Jenni Trethowan from Baboon Matters says that in April this year, the City “unilaterally and without warning to residents” withdrew rangers working with the troop.
Trethowan says that in the absence of any help from the authorities, a small team of volunteers undertook to mitigate potential traffic accidents, by warning motorists of the baboons on the road and flagging drivers to slow down as the baboons cross back and forth across busy roads.
“Despite their best efforts, and working daylight hours over the past seven months, one female had disappeared without a trace, and young Grace was cruelly shot in the chest and had suffered terribly before she was euthanised.”
She says, two other baboons, Holly and Quinton, also presented with injuries to their faces in line with pellet gun wounds, one young juvenile appeared to have been grazed by a car while an infant baboon was killed in a motor vehicle accident.
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Heeding the small team’s call for help, Baboon Matters offered to fund a team of rangers to get the troop off the roads and back into Cecelia Forest.
“But this is not a permanent solution. Nor will it mean that the baboons will be kept out of the urban areas every day. We have simply provided an interim solution whilst the authorities resolve their differences of opinion and legal mandates.”
However, she adds that Baboon Matters does not have sufficient funds to keep the rangers in the field for much longer.
“If we are to keep the troop safe, we urgently need residents to contribute to the cost. Please donate and continue to urge the City of Cape Town and SANParks to resolve a long-term strategic management plan.”
With a November deadline set for public participation, JTT is mandated with the task of drafting a Baboon Strategic Management Plan (BSMP) of Chacma Baboons in the Cape Peninsula.
The BSMP is supposed to replace the City’s urban baboon management programme which is set to end in July next year.
Last week, the JTT reported that the BSMP was behind schedule, adding that the joint task team was committed to publishing the draft BSMP for stakeholder comment before the end of the year.
“Extra time will be allowed in 2023 to ensure that all stakeholders have sufficient time to submit their input, and a stakeholder workshop will be hosted by the JTT in 2023 to discuss and receive stakeholder comments,” the statement read.
It added that the decision not to relocate the troop would be continually reviewed as the situation changes in future and the BSMP is approved.
In the meantime, Trethowan says they are not letting the City off the hook.
“They have to take responsibility in some way. They can’t just say it is over to the residents. It is not going to work. For example, they want residents to establish Special Rating Areas (SRAs) in baboon-affected suburbs where the special rates can fund solutions to keep baboons out of the urban area. This is going to take time. There should at least be a transition period (after July).”
- The donation link can be found at www.baboonmatters.org.za
