A difficult week unfolded for the Cape Baboon Partnership (CBP) and Cape of Good Hope SPCA as several serious welfare emergencies involving baboons in the northern troops (Tokai and Constantia) prompted urgent field interventions.
Multiple losses in Tokai and Constantia troops
The affected included two baboons who required humane euthanasia. A severely ill juvenile from the CT2 troop and an adult female from the Tokai troop who had been mauled by dogs.
In addition, a subadult male from the MT2 troop died after being struck by a vehicle, while a juvenile male from the CT1 troop was killed in a separate dog attack. Teams are also actively searching for an adult male from the MT1 troop, who was seen with a snare wrapped around his body.
Baboons in human spaces face growing dangers
The recent series of incidents have underscored the ongoing risks facing wildlife as they navigate urban and peri-urban landscapes. While baboons are the most visible, they’re not the only animals at risk: caracals, porcupines, penguins and other native species also suffer from the dangers posed by human environments.
Carolynne Franklin Ward 71, Councillor, notes that threats are numerous and growing, from deliberate and illegal harm to road fatalities and power line electrocutions. The CBP and SPCA continue to respond to cases as swiftly and humanely as possible, but the challenges highlight the urgent need for coexistence strategies and heightened public awareness.
The search for the snared male baboon continues. Conservation and animal welfare organisations are appealing to residents to report injured or compromised wildlife promptly and to remain alert, especially when travelling near known troop areas.
To report a baboon-related incident, contact the Baboon Hotline: +27 71 588 6540.
Also read:
Cape Town to relocate baboons to protect troops and residents
Picture: Ward 71 / Whatsapp Group
