As the Urban Baboon Programme winds down, communities in the Cape Peninsula are bracing for a transition in how baboons will be managed. A new advisory group is being formed to guide the process. Image: Dominic Naidoo / Charl Durand
The management of baboons in the Cape Peninsula is entering a critical transitional phase as the contract with NCC Environmental Services, the company currently responsible for the Urban Baboon Programme, is set to end on December 31.
With this deadline fast approaching, the Cape Peninsula baboon management joint task team has announced that new measures are being put in place to ensure a continued presence of baboon rangers in affected communities during this period.
This development comes after months of community engagement led by the joint task team, which includes representatives from SANParks, CapeNature, and the City of Cape Town.
The engagements, which began in June 2024, focused on the Cape Peninsula baboon strategic management plan and the creation of area-based solutions tailored to the needs of local communities.
As the joint task team prepares for the transition, several key steps have been outlined. Supply-chain processes are being initiated to deploy baboon rangers in affected areas in the coming months.
A short-term solution will also be implemented to manage the transition period from November 2024 onwards, ensuring that communities remain supported as the current programme winds down.
From January 1, 2025, an interim solution will take effect, while long-term options are being explored. These include a potential partnership with a non-profit organisation (NPO) or the creation of a special purpose vehicle to assist with the implementation of area-based solutions.
The goal is to operationalise the baboon strategic management plan and establish a more sustainable urban baboon management programme that involves the active participation of local communities.
Details of the long-term solution are still being finalised and will be communicated once decisions have been made. In tandem with these preparations, the joint task team is in the process of forming the Cape Peninsula baboon advisory group.
This group will consist of representatives from local communities, academic and research institutions, and organisations with a vested interest in baboon management.
Over 120 nomination forms have been submitted for consideration, and the selection process is currently under way.
The advisory group will play a crucial role in advising the joint task team on the implementation of the management plan at a local level.
It will also facilitate ongoing engagement between the various constituencies and the joint task team and support the development of strategic partnerships with stakeholders.
The inaugural meeting of the advisory group is expected to take place soon, ensuring that the group is operational before the transition begins.
As part of its ongoing efforts to monitor the baboon population, the joint task team has recently completed its latest annual census of Chacma baboons.
The census provides a detailed breakdown of population changes between July 2023 and June 2024, offering valuable insights into the current state of the baboon population in the Cape Peninsula.
IOL
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