Shocking baboon deaths
An incident where a number of wild baboons were captured in a cage on a farm in the Van Wyksdorp area is being investigated.
According to Jeanette Pitout, a landowner near Van Wyksdorp, she received a call from concerned neighbours on 1 January that four baboons were trapped in a cage on Doringkloof Private Game Reserve about 5 km outside the town.
“Apparently the baboons had already been trapped for two days, and my friends asked if I would assist in helping to set them free.”
On arrival at the site, she noticed a female baboon clinging to the top corner of the cage of about 3m x 3m x 3m in size. “She was visibly traumatised and trying to climb through the small wire mesh of the cage.”
The three other baboons apparently escaped through a small doorway, which they managed to open before Pitout arrived on the scene. Pitout and her friends failed to get the female to escape through the doorway. They removed the top of the cage and turned the cage on its side which led to her escape.
According to Pitout, empty bullet casings and a pit with baboon carcasses was found nearby. Pitout reported the incident to CapeNature, who responded as follows too the enquiry:
“It is with great concern that we find these claims to be true. The matter is currently under investigation for several contraventions of the Nature Conservation Ordinance, 1974 (Ordinance 19 of 1974) in that it is illegal to disturb, catch or kill any protected species without a permit. CapeNature will continue to monitor the situation and pursue the criminal investigation.”
According to André Britz, who farms in the nearby Rooiberg Mountains, large troops of baboons concentrate on small areas where crops are grown. “The area is extremely dry and there is hardly any natural forage in the veld. The baboons are drawn to anything green and cause a lot of damage to crops.”
The presence of hungry baboons forced Britz to give up ostrich farming. Because of the drought and the poor condition of the veld, he planted lucerne to feed his goats. “I kept ostriches on the fields, but the baboons raided the nests to such an extent that I had to give up farming ostriches.”
John Scotcher, chair of the Baboon Damage Interest Group (BDIG) said that baboons needed to be recognised as damage-causing animals and accordingly included in the Predator Management Forum’s list of animals that kill or maim livestock or damage crops such as timber plantations, maize, citrus, potatoes and pastures. The BDIG has identified over 40 different methods to manage damagecausing baboons.
Owner of Doringkloof Private Game Reserve, Valerie Enslin, did not respond to an enquiry by the time of going to press. She does not live on the reserve but has been leasing it for a number of years.