Cape Town - This year’s census of Cape Town’s baboon troops shows that the overall population is still growing steadily and the number of baboon deaths – both natural and “human-induced” – has dropped considerably.
But these animals are still being subjected to appalling cruelty, as the latest report from the Baboon Technical Team – the joint management body set up by the three peninsula authorities involved (City of Cape Town, SA National Parks and CapeNature) – shows.
In one incident last month, a young female baboon from the Da Gama Park splinter troop was euthanased after being blinded when she took part in a group raid on a house in search of food, the team reported.
The resident had retaliated by spraying the baboon in the eyes with an unknown substance.
“It was initially thought that pepper spray had been used in the altercation and that the baboon’s loss of sight would be temporary.
“However, monitoring the baboon over the next week revealed that the baboon did not regain any sight. It is now speculated that the spray may have contained something more corrosive, such as oven cleaner.
“A blind baboon is at an enormous disadvantage in nature and would usually be removed by natural predation. After watching the baboon steadily lose weight, a management decision was made in the interests of the animal to perform humane euthanasia.”
The report said other injuries to baboons were inflicted by pellet guns, other shootings, poisoning, vehicles and altercations with dogs.
However, both the total number of deaths in the Peninsula’s baboon population and human-induced deaths, as a percentage of total deaths, were down from previous years.
In 2006 there were 45 deaths of which 54 percent were human-induced deaths. But last year, 27 baboons died, with humans responsible for about one third.
These figures, released by the team, are from a population census done in early January by researcher Esme Beamish of UCT’s Baboon Research Unit, who found that the total population on the Peninsula was 501 in 16 troops, including the three splinter troops at Da Gama, Misty Cliffs and Zwaanswyk.
Beamish concluded that the population was growing steadily with an annual average of three percent over the past three years.
This was “unlike wild populations where annual growth typically fluctuates depending on environmental factors such as drought and food availability”, the team commented.
“As such, the Cape Peninsula baboon population is not endangered, nor is it under any threat.”
Beamish ascribed the lower mortality rates to improved baboon management by the conservation authorities.
Eleven of the 16 troops are actively managed by the city’s service provider, Human Wildlife Solutions, which employs 62 field rangers.
According to the company’s management report for April, baboon deaths since April 27 include at least seven infants from infanticide (when a new alpha male joining a troop kills infants not sired by him). - Cape Argus