‘It’s hard to sell a house when it’s covered in baboon faeces’: Cape Town divided over plan to remove its monkeys
Summary
Cape Town’s city council plans to capture, sterilize, and move two groups of baboons to a new sanctuary because they have been causing problems for residents. The baboons have increased in number and often damage property and take food, leading to disagreements between the city and animal rights groups about the best way to manage the animals.Key Facts
- Cape Town has about 493 baboons living in 12 groups, up from 360 in 2000.
- Baboons cause damage by breaking roof sheets, entering cars, and stealing food from homes and shops.
- The city council will remove two baboon groups and move them to a new sanctuary after sterilizing them.
- Cape Town’s baboons live on a narrow strip of land between Table Mountain National Park and urban areas.
- The city has a baboon management program costing about 20 million rand (£920,000) over 18 months.
- Animal rights activists oppose removing the baboons and suggest building fences instead.
- Experts say fencing might just shift the baboons to other areas because they need access to food and water.
- The city's plan also includes building a baboon-proof fence to separate urban areas from baboon habitats.
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