Cape Town - The Cape Peninsula Baboon Management Joint Task Team (CPBMJTT) engaged with communities on the Southern Peninsula to discuss sustainable solutions for managing the local baboon population.
The the task team, comprising representatives from SA National Parks, CapeNature and the City of Cape Town, recently conducted its first week in a series of community engagements to address the ongoing human-baboon conflict in baboon-affected areas on the Southern Peninsula.
These discussions focused on the ongoing implementation of the Cape Peninsula Baboon Strategic Management Plan (CPBSMP) to ensure the sustainable management of the region's baboon population.
The approval of the plan marks a significant milestone in the efforts to promote coexistence between humans and baboons on the Cape Peninsula. Developed through extensive public consultation and collaboration between government entities, the plan aims to address human-baboon conflict, support conservation efforts, and establish a framework for sustainable management.
One key initiative outlined in the plan is the formation of the Baboon Advisory Group (BAG), which would facilitate communication between affected communities, stakeholders, and the the task team.
BAG continues to support the implementation of the plan and ensuring that local strategies are tailored to meet the specific needs of different areas in the Cape.
The plan governance structure includes the task team and Joint Baboon Operations Team (JBOT), which will oversee baboon management operations. These entities continue in implementing interventions focusing on conservation, law enforcement, waste management, communication and infrastructure development.
Funding has been acquired by the City to secure money for various baboon management initiatives, including installing fences in targeted areas, and providing lockable bins to communities.
The City said: “Commitment to sustainable management of baboons on the Cape Peninsula underscores the shared responsibility between authorities and local residents in ensuring harmonious coexistence.”
Said a Cape Nature spokesperson: “There is a lot to be implemented now, and the sooner we agree on these, the sooner we can get going. The budget is available to start installing fences in areas where no environmental approvals are needed and SANParks will install and maintain the fences on their land.”
The task team said that the meetings were ongoing until next week, and the focus areas would include mechanisms for communities to organise themselves to engage with the JTT on site level solutions and interventions; financing services/interventions such as baboon ranger/monitoring services as from January 2025 and monitoring baboon troops' movements in general, as from January 2025.
The meetings highlighted that the sustainable management of baboons is a shared responsibility between the three authorities and communities.