Cape Town - The City of Cape Town has appointed a new service provider, NCC Environmental Services, for the Urban Baboon Programme.
The contract will start on 1 October and run until 30 June 2023. NCC Environmental Services previously managed the Urban Baboon Programme from 2009 – 2012.
The City made the announcement on Thursday, and comes after the treatment of baboon SK11, also known as Kataza, has been making headlines.
The City has called on residents not to disturb beloved baboon Kataza, who relocation from Kommetjie to Tokai sparked a massive uproar in the area.
“NCC has many years of experience in managing the human-baboon interface. Projects include the previous management of the City of Cape Town’s Urban Baboon Programme from August 2009 until June 2012, as well as several years of preventing negative human-baboon interactions during various events and functions within the Table Mountain National Park,” the City said.
“The requirement of the service provider for this programme is that baboons are kept out of town for over 90% of the time, while strictly adhering to their permit conditions and the methodology as specified in the baboon technical team management guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures.
“NCC has put together a highly qualified and experienced team to manage the new contract, overseen by Linden Rhoda, a director of NCC.”
Rhoda previously led the Urban Baboon Programme for NCC and has 15 years of experience on various large-scale conservation projects.
The project will be led by Project Manager, Joselyn Mormile. Mormile is a Conservation Biologist and a Ph.D. candidate with a decade of baboon expertise.
“In addition to the highly qualified project leaders, all area and field managers on the project will have a minimum of a three-year diploma in Nature Conservation or similar qualification.
“All staff will receive training on baboon behaviour, conflict resolution and the standard operating procedures for the management techniques to be used,” the City said.
NCC will have over 70 staff members working on this project which include: 44 Rangers, 22 Supervisors, 4 Field Managers, 4 Area Managers and 2 Project Managers.
“Furthermore, NCC is committed to approaching the Urban Baboon Programme with a multidisciplinary perspective. This includes supporting the authorities in addressing waste management, increasing community education initiatives and keeping up to date with advances in wildlife management technology.”
The Peninsula is divided into three Areas – North, South and South-East.
Approximately 50 Urban Baboon Programme staff will be operating in the field from sunrise to sunset every day in the following areas:
- Kommetjie
- Ocean View
- Capri
- Da Gama Park
- Welcome Glen
- Glencairn
- Groot Olifantsbos
- Simon’s Town
- Smitswinkel Bay
- Murdoch Valley
- Tokai
- Zwaanswyk
- Plateau Road and Gordon’s Bay.
“We welcome the new service provider and are looking forward to working with them,” said Mayco Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Marian Nieuwoudt.
“I also want to appeal to the residents to work with us and communicate via the proper channels about issues of concern to ensure that these are addressed amicably.”
The 24-hour Baboon Hotline 071 588 6540 will remain the same throughout and residents may continue to use this number to report raiding baboons.
Residents are also encouraged to send emails to:[email protected] to report incidents or concerns about the baboons.
Cape Argus