With half of the planned eight online community engagements with residents and businesses from baboon-affected areas completed, the process aimed at initiating “a more sustainable programme for the management of the Chacma baboon population in the Cape Peninsula” is hopefully one step closer.
Hosted by the City of Cape Town, the meetings provide a platform to discuss a number of sustainable proposals for baboon management in a specific suburb.
A joint task team, comprising the three conservation and management authorities, was established in June with the aim to transition to a more sustainable baboon programme by 30 June 2023.
The outcome of the City’s meetings will be presented to the joint task team.
During the online meeting for the Constantia, south of Constantia Nek, Tokai and Zwaanswyk areas (Constantia 1 troop, Tokai/Zwaanswyk troops, Mountain 1 and 2 troops) held on Tuesday 23 August, residents raised their grievances about the current state of the baboon management programme.
Chief among these was the non-delivery of baboon-proof bins, the red tape involved and the perceived lack of support from the City in establishing Special Rating Areas (SRAs) and the slow progress on evaluating and considering implementation of contraception and sterilisation to curb baboon numbers. The protocols (or lack thereof) aimed at dealing with raiding baboons was another hot potatoe.
Residents attending the meeting also asked who would carry the bill for the installation of strategic electrical fences (a proposal that has been making the rounds for years). They also wanted to know, between the three state entities involved – South African National Parks (SANParks), Cape Nature and the City – who would be responsible for what?
Eddie Andrews, Deputy Mayor, however, said that the purpose of the engagement was not to focus on the financial burden but to understand what a sustainable programme looked like.
“We are keen to understand what are your solutions you would like to submit tonight for your area,” Andrews said.
As to the questions surrounding the mandate, Andrews said that the issue around the mandate had not been resolved in the past decade and that it would not be achieved now during an hour-long meeting.
“The purpose of this meeting is not to be burdened with the mandate issue. What it should be is to understand what a sustainable programme will look like for your community,” he said.
He did share, however, that the City tender for a supplier of baboon-proof bins had been advertised and would come to a close end of August. He said this would be followed by an appeals process. He said only then would the tender be awarded and come online, adding that he was unable to provide an exact timeline as to when that would be.
A suggestion that received quite a bit of “airtime” at the online meeting was the construction of an electric strategic baboon fence.
A presentation by primatologist Dr David Gaynor made a case for the establishment of a Common Good Mountain Fence Trust.
He said that a 13,5km electric fence, stretching along the hard urban edge from Constantia to Westlake would keep baboons out of residential areas, keep them safely in their natural area and take away the need to use aversive techniques. He said it would also allow baboons to use their whole natural range.
According to Gaynor, the majority of the fencing along this stretch was already standing and that only 3,5km was still needed to “close the gaps”. He said with the trust in place, maintenance of the fence would be much easier and that it would be bundled with ongoing monitoring.
Andrews clarified that such a trust would work on an opt-in basis similar to a private security company.
Other suggestions centred around population management, the possible relocation of baboons and the establishment of more green corridors – a thin strip of land that provides sufficient habitat to support wildlife, allowing the movement of wildlife along it.
A suggestion was also made that a person trained in ethics and bioethics be added to the joint task team to assist when engaging on decisions that have massive impacts on both humans and animals.
