It’s hard to sell a house when it’s covered in baboon faeces’: Cape Town divided over plan to remove its monkeys
Two troops of chacma baboons are breaking into homes and shops but animal rights activists insist coexistence is the answer
TL;DR
- Cape Town's city council plans to round up, sterilize, and relocate two baboon troops that are in conflict with residents.
- Animal rights activists oppose the plan, advocating for coexistence and alternative solutions.
- The baboon population in Cape Town has increased by a third since 2000, leading to more frequent raids on homes and businesses.
- Residents are experiencing property damage, including ripped roofs and damaged pantries, and fear of baboon raids impacts daily life.
- The city's geography, with urban development bordering natural baboon habitats, contributes to the problem.
- The baboon management program costs approximately 20 million rand for 18 months, with rangers monitoring the troops.
- Activists suggest building a fence to exclude the baboons rather than relocating them.
- Concerns are raised about the psychological distress and social disruption to baboons if removed, and their ecological role in seed dispersal.
- Baboons face other threats such as poisoning, car accidents, dogs, and shooting, with some residents taking matters into their own hands.