‘A hard reset’: Cape Town to capture and relocate baboon troops
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — A steady stream of chacma baboons flows down the walking path in the beautiful wooded ravine that leads up to Admiral’s Kloof, on the slopes of Table Mountain National Park. The score of baboons (Papio ursinus) descending the ravine — half of the 44-strong Waterfall troop — are on their […]
Cape Town, South Africa is grappling with a growing issue as baboon troops descend upon the affluent suburb of Simon's Town, located on the slopes of Table Mountain National Park. The baboons, specifically the chacma baboons (Papio ursinus), are causing havoc in the Waterfall ravine, descending en masse to raid the naval barracks.
A baboon monitor, armed with a paintball gun, attempts to intervene, but their efforts prove futile as the troop continues their destructive activities. The monitors manage to relocate some baboons, but others venture into the surrounding suburb, leading to 25 documented raids between June 11 and July 11. The Cape Baboon Partnership, a coalition of concerned citizens, has established a WhatsApp group to inform residents about the troop's movements.
Cape Town officials are now under pressure to devise a solution to mitigate the baboon population's impact on the local community.
Written by urgent.news from Mongabay's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
