Stop killing CapeTown's baboons.

All over South Africa baboons are under threat as they are killed with little or no recourse from relevant conservation authorities of different provinces. The laws and regulations governing the use of lethal methods of management and for hunting baboons needs to be urgently addressed and changed to provide these animals with much needed protection.

The baboons of the Cape peninsula have been used as an example of successful management of an isolated population of Chacma baboons, noting that they were protected from hunting in 1998 by Cape Nature.
However, despite their protected status, baboons continue to be killed the peninsula by the authorities who should protect them, as well as by residents.

There is little - if any - conservation value in this protocol. The social system that is crucial to the long term survival of baboon populations is progressively being destroyed due to the lethal protocol currently in place. The chacma baboon has a multi-male multi-female social system and subadult and adult males tend to be the most targeted group marked for euthanasia under the protocol. Breaking down social structures in this way leads to an eventual eradication of primate populations.

The protocol and aggressive management tactics such as paintball guns and bear bangers, has been endorsed by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA).

In 2010 the protocol was implemented and male baboons started to be killed. Although the protocol is not a management plan, it appears to be the only written document that explains decisions implemented by the Baboon Technical Team.

Nearly 50 male and female baboons have been killed since the implementation of the protocol.

Through their endorsement of the protocol, the Baboon Technical Team and the NSPCA have, with full knowledge, allowed the decimation of the Misty Cliffs troop of baboons.

The Misty Cliff Troop - Scarborough (by Ushka Devi):
This troop has been reduced from 18 baboons to only 7 baboons in December 2015.
A Scarborough resident has recently killed another two baboons from this small troop.

2016: Angelina, became the Iconic mother of 2. She adopted an orphan and gave birth to her own baby.
2017: Horace, a dispersing male from Da Gama Park, sauntered into Scarborough. He gave the monitors the slip for 10 whole days, then committed infantIcide! With a "criminal record" for “bad baboon behaviour”, Horace was darted, trapped and euthanized. Once again, the sole 3 females were escorted out the village, to join the GOB troop in the reserve.
2018: Angelina’s back! With the same two collared mothers. All 3 produce newborns.
2019 June: 1 juvie is lost in a Misty Cliff roadkill. A week later the only male juvie is found floating in a swimming pool in Misty Cliffs.

Now there are 4! The last remnants of the Misty Cliff all girl troop 3 adult females and the daughter of iconic Angelina.

The Conservation ethic is reductive!
Why must we resort to killing?

Killing animals does NOT solve management problems.
Killing baboons will NOT stop other baboons from raiding.