Cape Town - Conservation groups and activists in the Pringle Bay area are up in arms over the Overstrand Municipality’s plans to relocate four raiding male baboons from the troop to Limpopo.
The EMS Foundation, which has urgently requested that the decision be suspended, said that this was taken without consultation with residents and advocates for the humane treatment of the Pringle Bay baboons and that it was a serious concern, given that there was evidence that the relocation of male baboons was a flawed “solution”.
In a statement, the municipality said a full case history of the four male baboons was brought to the Baboon Management Joint Task Team (BMJJT), led by “experienced members” of CapeNature, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, and independent scientific advisers.
According to the municipality, severe incidents by the baboons were recorded which included raiding food directly from people, as well as opening car doors and windows and homes, even when people were present.
It said their behaviour had reached a point where they do not play an effective role in the conservation ecology of the troop. It said the decision was not taken lightly and was deliberated by all the experts.
However, the groups said the decision coincided with the annual influx of tourists and holidaymakers for the festive season, which was a clear prioritisation of commerce over wildlife.
EMS executive director Michele Pickover said there was also no science to show that there was no negative effect of removing the baboons simultaneously from a troop.
Pickover said Human Wildlife Solutions (HWS), the service provider, was experimenting with the baboons, not knowing that the end result was against the Precautionary Principle of Environmental Law.
Pickover said the BMJTT decision was biased, claiming that they were dependent only on the information provided by HWS.
She said the BMJTT members were not present to observe the actual “goings-ons” on the ground (or the “lack thereof”) in regard to the mitigation of the incursions by the targeted males.
Overstrand mayor Annelie Rabie, in response to the outcry, said the recommendation to relocate the baboons was taken by the BMJTT at a meeting on December 8. This was in spite of what Pickover said was an assurance to residents outside the municipality’s offices on December 14 that no decisions on the baboons had been made.
Rabie added that the relocation was not what all members of the BMJTT supported.
She said euthanasia was stated as the best decision, however, after the explanation from the municipal manager that the municipality was against it, the recommendation for relocation was made.
She said CapeNature would issue the necessary permits while consultations with the sanctuaries were under way before further decisions on the relocations could be taken.
Should the municipality fail to heed the group’s calls, Pickover said the foundation would look into getting an urgent interdict.