Baboon human clash intensifies

An activist fears for the safety and well-being of five baboon troops after the City, in partnership with various role players confirmed they will carry out an operation to safely remove the mammals from the Cape Peninsula.

- KEANAN HARMSE

The Cape Peninsula Baboon Management Joint Task Team (CPBM-JTT) stated that the Cape Peninsula baboon troops have severely regressed in the last three years.

The CPBMJTT also mentioned that the baboon population has increased to the extent that it was exhausting their resources.

In the light of this, the task team consisting of representatives from the South African National Parks (SAN-Parks), CapeNature and the City hosted its second meeting with the Cape Peninsula Baboon Advisory Group (CPBAG) to discuss these matters on Tuesday 27 May.

Previously, People’s Post reported that activists were finding far too many baboons with air-rifle wounds across the Peninsula and were calling on the community to report these crimes.

The most recent incident involved a baboon known in the False Bay Community as Blondie (TK66) who was found dead in Palace Hill Road on Saturday morning 5 April after succumbing to a gunshot wound to the chest (“Activists demand actiono,” People’s Post 16 April).

CPBMJTT says their intention is to: “ensure the Cape Peninsula has a baboon population that is well-managed, healthy and free ranging in the natural areas” and remove five splinter troops.