Cape Town's Chacma Baboons

UPDATE - November/December 2013

The current approach to baboon management is pain aversion tools and killing raiding baboons - but should these controversial strategies continue into 2014 or come under independent review?

Feeding the birds in the urban area can mean also feeding the baboons: Animals or birds can return to sources of food after even one or two exposures. Baboons, highly intelligent animals, are no different. In the urban areas affected by baboons, people who have no intention of feeding baboons may inadvertently be doing so by providing bird food for guinea fowl or pigeons. Baboons can spend a long time picking up the small seeds on the ground.

Failure to baboon proof house or bin can also result in inadvertently 'feeding' baboons, though there may be no deliberate intention to do so. (For visitors to areas frequented by baboons such as the scenic coastal roads, failure to lock - not only shut - car doors or close car windows can also result in 'feeding' baboons. )

Under current protocols, baboons can be targeted for coming into the urban area and 'raiding' or eating available human derived food. Raiding incidents are recorded and used as evidence when motivating for culling in terms of the protocol to reduce the frequency and severity of raiding behaviour or the dispersing male and repeat raiders protocol.

A flyer distributed and later appearing as a poster in Welcome Glen around the time of Calvin's culling in October stated it had come to the attention of the Baboon Technical Team and Cape of Good Hope SPCA that "there are residents purposefully feeding baboons in Scarborough and Welcome Glen. This is of great concern as it makes visits into town profitable for baboons. "

"We are not sure of the motivation behind the feeding and assume that it is being carried out by well-meaning but misguided persons, who wish to interact with the baboons. The sad truth is it only increases the risks to the baboons."

Residents were asked to "be vigilant and report cases of baboon feeding."

Unfortunately, in context, such invitations also open the way to false allegations, as did occur around this time, coming from both residents and service provider staff.

Since 2009 and change in management strategies some residents have made false claims that those who are tolerant of baboons are the ones attracting them into the area by allegedly feeding them, although they may be doing so themselves by failing to or refusing to baboon proof.

Since 2012 some service provider supervisory staff are also known to have falsely accused residents not in favour of paintballing, including of feeding baboons while ignoring the very obvious raided bins and open doors and windows. (In Hermanus, residents who fail to use a baboon proof bin are fined.)

Following the change in management strategies in 2009 that include culling and the use of aggressive tools as recommended by the local research unit, some residents who previously hurt or killed the baboons for raiding or being in the urban area now feel validated in their actions as the official policies appear to them to be similar.

A local researcher who gives input to baboon management stated that "euthanasia" is more humane than retributive killing" by residents.

This corresponds to the researchers' argument that using pain aversion tools is more humane than residents hurting the baboons.

Yet baboons still continue to come into the urban area and can and still do get hurt by residents and dogs in addition to daily pain aversion tool usage, with baboons finally killed when resistant to them.

While tourists may be more inclined to purposefully feed baboons to interact with them or for photo opportunities, in the residential areas, neglecting to baboon proof house and bin are far more frequently the obvious causes of baboons raiding or being attracted into the area.

Given the attractants of non baboon proofed properties and encroaching urbanisation on the Peninsula, baboons will continue to raid non secured properties.

Rather than targeting certain baboons (frequently males) for culling for raiding, the fact should be accepted that baboons "raid" ie eat human derived food if it is available, including in vehicles and through open doors and unsecured bins.

Baboon proofing has solved raiding problems for many residents, going without 'raids' for numerous years in the same streets those who fail to baboon proof experience raids and then become frustrated by the natural behaviour of the animals and may also take retributive action.

Current input by the baboon research unit advocates no contact between humans and baboons (given research continues, researchers are no doubt excluded.)

They advocate human settlements be enclosed by electric fencing to keep baboons out, something many residents are not in favour of.

December 31, 2013

Protecting the young: How many more baboons will continue to be killed on the basis of them ostensibly 'teaching' the young to raid? In the case of killing leading or adult males it causes troop disruption and may lead to infanticide when a new alpha takes over.

Slumko (GOB5) alpha male of the Misty Cliffs Fission troop was culled in November 2013, yet another baboon resistant to pain aversion tools.

His death left the troop without an adult male, although after a few days, a male from the main Groot Olifantsbos troop (GOB8) showed interest in moving in.

A current approach in baboon management is to kill, especially male, baboons who break away from the troop to go raiding, an argument being that raiding behaviour is continually "being taught" to other members of the troop. At what point would a troop be purged of all raiders?

Are baboons also being recommended to WAC, the Wildlife Advisory Committee, for culling when leaving the troop, alone or with some others, thereby splitting the troop and making the rangers' jobs more difficult by also splitting manpower or making them appear not to be doing their job effectively? (The City requires the service provider to keep baboons out the urban area a minimum of 80% of the time.)

While it is claimed by the service provider that all troops have been kept out of town for an average of over 98% since they took over in August 2012, this statistic could be questioned, especially when applied to the Da Gama troops as apart from coming into the urban area on occasion, they have frequently utilised sleep sites within the urban area eg the Navy flats or pine trees within Da Gama Park.

The approach to killing lone raiders also targets dispersing males who attempt to leave the troop or who are chased by the alpha.

Dispersal is a natural process whereby males leave the troop in order to move to another, often making exploratory trips before leaving permanently. In doing so, baboons may come into contact with urban areas, given the Peninsula layout. Dispersal may be repeated several times in their lives.

Young males may also be chased away from the troop by the alpha. Calvin, the young maturing male from the Da Gama main troop, culled on 1 October, 2013 was chased and injured by Horace, the new alpha of the fission troop that was being pushed to combine with the main troop.

Calvin left the troop on occasion sometimes, (even sleeping apart), probably out of self preservation given the injuries. He was sometimes joined by a few other members of the troop.

Deaths of the adult baboons can result in a skewed adult-juvenile and male-female ratio, both of which can negatively affect troop well-being and viability.

Ironically, it can also make it harder for rangers to manage the troop - possibly one of the factors making it more difficult to manage after the troop returned to its Da Gama home range was that a number of adults had died.

The two Da Gama Park troops began 2013 with 54 members. There were 9 births and 21 deaths and by November 2013, they were down to 42.

In 2014 will the adult baboons simply continue to be picked off one by one in a type of "serial culling" with negative or even deadly consequences for the troop including the young, left without any or sufficient protectors, one consequence being the infanticides of 11 young baboons of the Da Gama Park troop in 2013?

Aside from human and dog induced deaths, since 2009 there have been around 40 baboons killed in terms of the protocols, 30 since 2012.

At the end of 2013, the scientific input that has guided controversial baboon management strategies since 2009 is long overdue for independent review and revision.

This includes the two 'culling protocols' and aggressive pain aversion tools.

The latter could be seen as ineffective rather than successful, given a growing number of baboons are deemed pain aversion tool resistant and killed eg Mavula, Cookies, Slumko.

A recent research thesis records an informant stating pain aversion resistant male baboons can take up to 30 paintball hits in an episode.

The persuading argument a local researcher used that he claims changed the NSPCA's stance against aggressive tools was that baboons being in the urban area and hurt by residents 'was tantamount to a decrease in their welfare'. At what point do paintballing and pain aversion tools cease to be in the interests of the baboons' welfare'?

At what point does the daily, often aggressive, use of paintballs (and other pain aversion tools), used not only against the males, but against females and young, become a matter for investigation, including by animal welfare groups and ethics committees?

UPDATE - October 2013

Calvin was culled in early October, Da Gama troop adult and maturing males increasingly depleted

Calvin on 30 September, shortly before being killed, seen digging in soil for clover bulbs.

The decision was taken to now refer to the main and fission troop as the Da Gama troop given they have been in the same vicinity for the last three months.

The combined troop now consists of 42, down from 54 at the end of 2012 for both troops. Yet, baboons from this troop continue to be culled, Calvin being one of the latest.

Previously Horace, alpha male of the fission troop has been referred to by some HWS staff as the alpha male of both troops.

While it is now again claimed that Quondi is an integral part of the troop and is a cohesive force (something one would assume is the attribute of an alpha male). there are also claims that he broke windows to gain access and that he enters town to raid.

Incidents of baboons who have been accused of deliberately damaging property to gain entrance seem very high since August 2012.

Breaking into a property, entering a property or vehicle to look for food if people are in that property count heavily against a baboon when recommended for culling in terms of raiding protocols.

Some residents when thought to be opposed to paintballing or culling of baboons or supportive of the humane treatment of the baboons have been falsely accused of purposefully feeding baboons.

Residents who are strongly opposed to baboons in the urban area may also falsely report other residents of feeding and thereby attracting baboons into the neighbourhood. Ironically, if they fail to baboon proof, they themselves attract baboons onto their properties.

With false allegations not uncommon relating to the baboon situation, it has raised the question if there is a possibility that spurious allegations do not also occur against the baboons.

Baboons' case histories are compiled for submission to CapeNature for consideration.

CapeNature's Wildlife Advisory Committee or WAC gives permission for baboons to be killed. It has no direct dealings with the baboons. It is reliant on the information submitted to it via officials or residents' statements.

When the 2nd protocol of June 2010 was introduced, despite requests for a year it was not made available to the public, one official stating the reason was it could be "used against the baboons".

William, originally from the Da Gama Park troop, who after dispersal, in time became alpha of the Scarborough troop, was the first baboon killed under its terms. (Residents who saw him being cage trapped for lethal darting were told his collar batteries were being changed.)

One of the two statements given by residents against William used as evidence against him in his case history came from a person who was out the country much of the time.

Calvin in August 2013, after Horace had begun fighting with him and he had begun to leave the troop at times to avoid injuries.

Although the troop is already short of mature males, Calvin, a young male of the Da Gama troop approaching maturity was culled in early October 2013.

At the end of June 2013, the Da Gama main troop was pushed back to Da Gama Park where the fission troop was.

Horace, a male from the neighbouring Slangkop troop had become alpha of the fission troop. It consisted of adult females and young after the culling of Peter and Carpenter in an attempt to remove the fission troop.

Removal of fission troops reflected a proposal first made at the baboon expert workshop in 2009 in a presentation by the head of BRU entitled "Reducing numbers".

The main troop returned with only one mature adult, alpha Quondi, (Quizzy was attacked by humans and dogs on 14 March, then put down. Mavula was culled shortly thereafter because he was raiding and deemed resistant to pain aversion tools.)

People who get to see the troop since its return invariably comment the adult juvenile ratio appears skewed, with too few adults. While away adult females had also died, been culled, or disappeared.

Calvin was being chased and injured by Horace and so began to sleep apart from the troop at times, also during the day leaving the troop on occasions, sometimes joined by a few others.

Baboons leaving the troop may present problems for the service provider, splitting personnel. It may also make it appear as though rangers are not properly doing their job or that tools such as paintballing are not effective.

As a dispersing male, regularly leaving the troop on exploratory trips to find a new troop and starting to establish relationships from the outskirts to facilitate acceptance would be considered normal behaviour.

Yet under current conditions, if a male tries to find a new troop, he is often likely to be killed under the dispersing male or raiders protocols.

In the case of the south Peninsula troops in particular, it is still possible for males to disperse to other troops if allowed eg Slangkop to Da Gama Park.

The fact remains, the scientific input that has led to the introduction of aggressive tools and management strategies like culling has been in dire need of independent review from the time it was publically suggested in July 2009 and soon thereafter began to be implemented.

2013 follows years (August 2009-June 2012) of holding the line on the urban edge, which allowed baboons to come into the urban area and raid unsecured properties during the day, rather than being herded away to forage in the hills, frustrating residents who failed to baboon-proof.

There has now been more than a year of paintballing, the head of BRU's short term solution, with baboons continuing to be culled for raiding and more male baboons becoming resistant to pain aversion tools - then culled.

Current scientific input is long overdue for review - before possible implementation of the head of BRU's proposed long term, but once again controversial solution, of electric fences around baboon affected areas.

Electric fencing is currently being promoted in public meetings in areas like Scarborough and Kommetjie.

UPDATE - September 2012

Peter, alpha male of the Da Gama Park fission troop, killed at the end of August 2012.

Along with concern over general lack of transparency and secrecy over even simple scientific data, like accurate numbers of baboons and baboons killed, as well as relocation attempts of males, there is increasing concern over the future of the baboons, already previously considered a threatened population showing little growth over 350 for a decade. A number of alpha males have been killed in recent months in terms of protocols. Removing alpha males leads to troop disruption and increased fighting, resulting in injuries and can affect troop viability.

19 September, 2012 Carpenter also killed, shot by SANParks at the same area Peter was also culled.

The troop of females and young are alone and vulnerable. After Carpenter's death they reportedly tried to get back to a former sleepsite on Elsies Peak in the opposite direction of where the two males were killed. Taking out the two males has not only removed them, but placed the lives of other troop members in jeopardy.

There are other fission troops, will they meet the same fate? An alarming number of males have been killed in the last months. How many more?

Carpenter, the other adult male of the Da Gama Park fission troop, along with Force and Merlin of Smitswinkel is also to be culled. Scarborough males have also been noted as missing and are believed to be dead.

Removing both males of the Da Gama fission troop will also "remove"the fission troop comprised of females and young.

Removing fission troops was a 2009 scientific recommendation along with selective removal i.e. culling of individuals, reducing baboon numbers and managing fewer troops.

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UPDATE - August/September 2013

Da Gama Main and Fission troops are in close proximity for the time being after Horace helped chase Woody (subsequently culled as a dispersing male), though Quondi's status would come into question should he be viewed as a deposed alpha male. Calvin at risk.

Horace (SK3)

During the several months the main Da Gama troop was pushed to the Witsands and Ocean View area, the alpha male Quondi suffered two serious dog attacks in February and May. One of the three adult males, Quizzy, was attacked by the same pitbull that attacked Quondi in the first incident.

On 14 March he suffered an attack by humans and by dogs, and was put down.

This left only Mavula, a young adult male and Quondi to defend the troop.

But, by the end of March Mavula had been killed according to raiding protocols and because he, like some other culled males, including MC1 or Crookies and SWB4 or Manuel, showed resistance to painballs and other pain aversion tools.

After their deaths a male from the Slangkop troop, Woody (SK4) entered and during a month and a half killed all 10 babies and 1 juvenile, reducing the troop by a quarter to 30.

Two weeks later, towards the end of June, the troop was brought back to the Da Gama Park area where the fission troop had been sleeping.

Fighting ensued between Woody (SK4) and the alpha male Horace (SK3), originally also a member of the Slangkop troop. Horace helped chase Woody away.

Quondi (DG1)

Calvin (DG7) Also at risk.

When residents heard that Woody had been chased away from the Da Gama troop and was now by himself, they predicted that unless he rejoined the Slangkop troop, he would be killed under the dispersing male and repeat raiders protocol.

Within three weeks this occurred. He was killed on 26 July, 2013 according to this protocol introduced in August 2009 headed "prepared by BRU".

However, Quondi is now being referred to as a "deposed alpha male", called "old" by some service provider staff. Both terms have been used previously before killing males.

Chacma baboon troops are multi male troops. What happens when there is only one male to defend the troop against other males was illustrated in the infanticides of the eleven babies and juvenile.

(At one stage Quondi had also been removed from the troop to treat his injuries from a dog attack so there was no adult male to defend the troop.)

Additionally, another male Calvin (DG7), who is an older sub adult male approaching maturity, is also being regarded as a raider and damage causing animal with his case history submitted to CapeNature.

Calvin is also being chased by Horace and this means that he is spending some time away from the troop on occasions, sometimes joined by a few others. He sustained leg and facial injuries in some fights.

One of the proposals put forward by the service provider to stop the raiding is that a large number of wild baboon males be brought in who do not have experience of raiding.

Again, this is a proposal that is questioned. Alternative opinion is that this will not have the desired effect as females and young are also raiders and the new males could also learn to raid.

Additionally, there will be disruption to troops and possible infanticides plus injuries to other baboons.

UPDATE - July 2013

Da Gama Fission troop

After the culling of Peter and Carpenter, in part to attempt to remove the fission troop and in expectation that the females would join the large troop, the females refused to join up with the main troop, probably fearing for the safety of their young as there were no longer males to protect them.

Previous attempts to push the troops together while Peter and Carpenter were still alive had failed.

Rather than the small fission troop joining the main troop, for a time the females and young were alone.

However, they were joined by a young male Horace (above), who now became alpha male.

Three females of the Da Gama troop became pregnant. Big Mama, the alpha female, Crookie's and Helga. Crookie's baby died days after birth.

Da Gama Main troop

At the start of 2013 the main Da Gama Park troop was herded out the area and slept at Witsands and allowed in the Ocean View area, known to have vicious dogs. During the period they were there, at least 6 dog attacks were recorded.

Two on the alpha male, Quondi, two on adult male Quizzy (pictured above), the final one coupled with an attack by humans leading to him being put down in March. Two females, one of whom later disappeared and another whose body was discovered were also the victims of dog attacks.

During the same month, Mavula a young adult male was killed in terms of the raiding protocols and also because he, like other males who have been destroyed, was showing resistance to pain aversion tools, as had been predicted even before implementation, and running towards the rangers.

The loss of the two males, left the troop vulnerable to attack by incoming males. Quondi the alpha male was unable to defend the troop by himself against a young male from the Slangkop troop, SK4 (Woody). From 27 April Woody proceeded to kill all 10 of the infants of the troop plus 1 juvenile.