BABOON MONITORINGBaboons are a familiar sight along the scenic routes of the Cape Peninsula but these Peninsula animals are in danger of extinction unless the public, tourist and conservationists co-operate to protect them.
On the Cape Peninsula increasing urban development has caused a dramatic decrease in their numbers. While baboons once ranged freely across Table Mountain, the few remaining troops have moved southwards towards Cape Point. These baboons are now geographically isolated from other populations.
On the Cape Peninsula, baboons are a major attraction, amusing tourists with their road-side antics. Unfortunately, because people feed them, these baboons have lost their fear of humans, and may become aggressive in pursuit of food offered (or not) by visitors.
KEAG has a long and proud tradition of involvement with baboons on the Cape Peninsula. It was the extermination of a baboon troop in Kommetjie in 1991 that led to the organisation being established. Outraged at the wiping out of an entire baboon troop because one or two individual animals had been entering houses, KEAG vowed to ensure this would never happen again. KEAG was a major roleplayer in the formulation of the Baboon Management Team, an action group formed by various authorities, NGOs and primatologists. The aim of the BMT is to ensure the long term conservation of the baboons on the Peninsula. A number of conflict alleviation techniques have been tried over the years. The only management tool that has proven to be effective is the Baboon Monitors. The monitors are employed to actively keep the baboons out of the villages in the southern Peninsula. KEAG has been administrating the Baboon Monitor Project since its inception.
Relocation of baboons from the Peninsula is not a viable alternative so the bottom line is that either the baboons are managed or exterminated.
[PICTURES BY JENNI TRETHOWAN AND ESME BEAMISH]
