The report titled, “Silent protest staged in support of ‘displaced’ Kataza” – 28 September, is inaccurate.
The use of the word “mistreatment” is inaccurate. The adult male baboon has not been mistreated in any way. The baboon is monitored by vets and behavioural ecologists, following international best practice and under the protocols of the urban baboon programme.
The baboon was translocated from Kommetjie to Tokai, as part of a metapopulation strategy by the urban baboon programme, after creating a splinter troop and leading raids in Kommetjie.
SK11 was of dispersing age, as such, he was given a chance and re-located to the northern sub-population.
Urbanisation creates a barrier to male baboons from the South dispersing to the northern troops, and vice versa, and to gene flow.
The programme allows for assisted dispersal of males to facilitate much needed gene flow between the two sub-populations.
Peninsula baboons are isolated from other baboons to the north of the Cape Flats and management of the population is crucial for their genetic health.
The movement of male baboons between troops, known as dispersal, is a normal desirable process. He had failed to challenge his relative, SK10, for alpha status and dispersal should be the normal behaviour for him to out-breed.
The decision to relocate SK11 was aligned to accepted guidelines and in terms of the CapeNature permit. The City made the decision with input from SANParks and CapeNature, as well as UCT’s Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild).
Professor Justin O’Riain, Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, Department of Zoology, UCT, said: “There is nothing unusual about moving wild animals to a new area. Dumped and left to fend for himself” – this statement is factually inaccurate, anthropomorphic and ethnocentric.
SK11 (aka Kataza) has been given a chance to disperse into a new troop, which is the natural dispersal inclination of all adult male baboons.
SK11 was recently examined by a vet and a behavioural ecologist specialising in primates who reported that he was in good condition with a shiny unmatted coat.
In the mornings, he usually follows the Tokai Troop to where they are foraging, keeping on the edge while observing the troop and making friendly signs like lip-smacking and pulling his ears back.
After a while, curious young baboons approach him with similar friendly lip-smacking and greetings. This is normal behaviour for a male baboon joining a troop.
SK11 needs to interact with other baboons in his own time. This is very important as the service provider is trying to keep him out of the urban area so that he is safe and does not raid.
The City of Cape Town’s Baboon Programme has, since 2006 to date, recorded an 80% increase in the Cape Peninsula’s baboon population, excluding the troops inside Cape Point National Park.
The number of baboons has increased from 248 in 2006 to 445 today.
The increase in the baboon population affirms the City’s approach in allocating resources to prevent baboons from entering urban areas as far as possible.
* Marian Nieuwoudt, Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
Cape Argus
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