Background to baboon action
Bitou Municipality has been working with the Nature's Valley Ratepayers Association (NVRA) to assist with the establishment of a baboon monitoring programme.
Bitou Municipality renders assistance in the form of providing three expanded public works programme (EPWP) workers. The NVRA has raised funds from the ratepayers to appoint four of their own baboon monitors, and they provide the monitors with personal protective equipment and training. Namntu said the programme "has been very successful".
The NVRA approached the municipality to discuss the potential of establishing a special rating area to enable the ratepayers to fund the project. The municipality drafted and promulgated the special rating area by-law to allow for this. Namntu said an environmental monitor programme was implemented in 2020 as part of the EPWP programme.
The monitors have been stationed in lower Longships (Whale Rock and Vlei area) during periods when the baboons have been present in the town. They respond to baboon sightings as reported on the WhatsApp groups and move between properties to assist property owners.
"Mostly they chase them off properties and clean up when waste is left outside the property. They have also assisted in handing out awareness pamphlets of what property owners should do when they encounter baboons." Namntu said the monitors are on the Baboon Report WhatsApp group and respond to reported sightings to provide as much assistance as possible.
He urged residents to report baboon sightings as follows:
The address where baboons have been sighted (Google pin would be helpful)
How many baboons are there?
Are they male or female? Adults or babies? Are there any distinguishing features such as scars or marks?
Where are they headed?