[imagesource: Jamie Pyatt]

Take over, or take back?

Either way, expect there to be an increase in the number of baboons spotted in the ‘burbs once the City of Cape Town abandons its urban baboon management programme in July next year.

I guess it’s one less headache for the City to deal with, given all the drama around the Kataza story, for example.

News24 reports:

The City’s intention to terminate the programme leaked, with baboon rangers withdrawn from the leafy suburb of Constantia recently, leaving the baboon troop to “run amok”.

Emile Langenhoven, a ward councillor in the area, addressed a letter to a resident this week, saying: “It has been made clear to us that baboon management is not the mandate of the City and no further resources will be assigned. In fact, the baboon management programme will come to an end in July 2023.”

That’s a good 13 months away so there’s time to baboon-proof your house before the uprising, depending on where you live.

In Constantia, residents have already raised their concerns about the damage the unchecked ‘Constantia 2′ troop is causing. Gordon Chunnett, from the Constantia Ratepayers and Residents Association, said that residents’ “lives and homes and safety are at risk, including our pets and property”.

He cited one instance where a woman was forced to wrestle a baboon.

Kay Montgomery, the City’s public relations official for the baboon management programme, was pretty frank in her admission that the more than R100 million of public funds spent over the past 12 years had been a flop:

Speaking at a public meeting of the Invasive Species Forum, in Cape Town earlier this month, Montgomery conceded that “the old thinking of shooting them and getting rid of them, and making them go out of the suburb hasn’t worked – we must accept that and move into a new era”.

The City is now pivoting to a ‘living alongside nature’ campaign and says that “the animal rights activists have won”.

Baboon Matters, the organisation that has often sparred with the City over the years regarding its treatment of baboons, called Montgomery’s statement “disrespectful”.

Residents in areas like Kommetjie and Scarborough have long lived alongside roaming troops. In Simon’s Town, a so-called “super troop” has taken over a disused dormitory at the naval base and is raiding local homes and shops.

This via TimesLIVE:

Residents said they were feeling overrun. “Even through the middle of summer you don’t open any windows to get fresh air because you may find a baboon sitting on your bed in the morning,” said Robert de Vos, 75, who has a view over much of the dockyard and harbour.

Image: Esa Alexander

“I see the baboons rampaging through the dockyard, climbing up three floors of navy barracks brick wall to get in. They are now breaking into homes which have burglar bars and electric fences, the lot.”

One shop manager said baboon raids are a daily occurrence with bananas and biscuits the usual target.

There is no quick and easy fix here.

[sources:news24&timeslive]