Conservationists are reportedly fuming after a male baboon from Smitswinkel Bay was put down last week, as its behaviour allegedly put other baboons from the area in danger.
The City of Cape Town said at the time that the baboon was euthanised after it had uncontrollably raided occupied and unoccupied houses in the Murdoch Valley.
Between October 1, 2020 and February 28, the male baboon entered the urban area on more than 40 occasions. In February 2021 alone, the baboon entered houses on more than 10 occasions while residents were inside, reports said.
The problem was that a splinter group of females and juveniles from the Smitswinkel Bay troop had started following the baboon, thus, putting the whole splinter group in danger.
Human/baboon problems
But according to IOL, Conservation lobby groups questioned whether the right protocols had been followed, attractants dealt with and data collection verified.
“Mayor Plato directed a task team, Minister Bredell directed a workshop – both directives are to resolve the long-standing and ongoing management issues around human/baboon problems.
“But it seems that the City and Cape Nature managers did not get the message that the current guidelines are not working and are unacceptable to all but a few narrow-minded, conservative-ignorant residents, and so it seems the decision is to carry on as usual. Philemon (the baboon) was not the problem; when you can accept that, only then will we be able to find sustainable solutions,” Baboon Matters founder Jenni Trethowan was quoted as saying.
Tourists in Cape Town
In 2011, a baboon named Fred that lived near Cape Point was also killed after authorities deemed him aggressive.
A BBC report said at the time that Fred was known for raiding cars and attacking tourists in Cape Town.
“The decision to have him (Fred) euthanised was not taken lightly and not without extensive discussions between all role-players involved.
“This baboon’s aggression levels had recently escalated to the point where the safety of tourists, motorists and other travellers along the road past Smitswinkel Bay was being threatened,” Cape Town’s Baboon Operational Group said in a statement at the time.
PICTURE: Cape Town etc gallery