CAPE TOWN, South Africa — A group of chacma baboons, numbering about half of the Waterfall troop, makes its way down a path in a scenic wooded ravine leading to Admiral’s Kloof, near Table Mountain National Park. These baboons (Papio ursinus) are heading down to raid the naval barracks in Simon’s Town, an upscale neighborhood. A baboon monitor, armed with a paintball gun, observes the scene as a vehicle labeled “Shark Spotters,” an NGO that oversees these monitors, arrives to take three of his teammates to help manage the situation. On this June morning, their efforts do not succeed. For 45 minutes, the sounds of paintball guns and young baboons squabbling over food can be heard, as the nimble animals climb trees and buildings, even snatching what appears to be a bag of cereal from an open kitchen at the barracks. Although some baboons are coaxed away from the naval base, others venture into the nearby suburb. A WhatsApp group created by the Cape Baboon Partnership keeps residents informed about the troop’s movements, reporting 25 raids from June 11 to July 11. Cape Town city officials are taking steps regarding this situation. This article was originally published on Mongabay. What do you think about the measures being taken to manage the baboon troops?
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Source: Mongabay Animals, by Terna Gyuse