Baboons are without a doubt some of the most flamboyant characters in Cape Town. Frequent visitors to Cape Point and the surrounding nature reserve report some cheeky encounters.
Recently, a local troop made international headlines. YouTube celebrity Logan Paul visited the Mother City and experienced first hand what monkey business is really all about.
In a clip that’s since gone viral, reaching over 1.2 million views on Instagram alone, a baboon is seen rummaging through Paul’s backpack after a hike, eventually grabbing a bottle of Prime — a drink created by Logan Paul. Social media users went on to say that the clip is the brand’s best marketing yet.
Paul is heard hollering, “Not the camera!” before another baboon makes a move towards the star. A clear warning to back off.
It’s always funny watching a human being out-witted by an animal. However, Paul has a serious audience (22 million Instagram followers) and it would be dangerous to have fans try and recreate clips of a similar nature.
However, the video should better be used to communicate awareness around the Western Cape’s baboons — especially to unfamiliar tourists.
Baboons are seriously dangerous and territorial. Screaming and jumping at a troop, especially one with infants, is not recommended behaviour. Baboons have a serious bite that can break bones and even kill.
Also read: WATCH: Celebrity Logan Paul robbed by baboons, his reaction should be a lesson to all
Watching this clip alone, there’s no doubt that baboons love to show-off and visitors to the Mother City always appear to get a bit of an extra show. In the case of photographer Elenac Unami, perhaps a bit too much…
Whilst on holiday, she was lucky enough to capture some great snaps on a seriously confident baboon at Cape Point. Keeping a respectable distance and not antagonising her subject, these are the results:
Obviously very comfortable in front of the camera, this model specimen decided to end his private photoshoot with a bang. Originally shared on Cape {town} Etc’s Instagram page, this baboon had no skaam rocking out with his…confidence out.
The Cape {town} Etc Instagram family responded to the picture with so much love that we just had to get in touch with Elenac for more.
“When you are a photographer, it is important to have someone in front of the camera who likes to pose…” she says.
You guys had us giggling hard in the comments section. Here are some quality responses (aubergine emojis plentiful, of course).
- “Just hanging in there.” – kim.scholtz
- “A long night.” – paulpjsmith
- “Ohh, it’s a boy!” – michael_schinnen
- “Exhibitionist.” – karen_leygonie
Join the Cape {town} Etc family (@capetownetc) on Instagram for the best of the Mother City, every day.
Remember:
Do not ever feed a baboon or tempt one closer with food or other objects. Baboons may put up a mock charge and vocalise a threat, as seen in this video.
Whether you’re a local or a tourist, it’s so important to respect wild animals.
There are five distinct troops of baboons at Cape Point:
- Cape Point
- Buffels Bay
- Kanonkop
- Klein Olifantsbosch
- Groot Olifantsbosch
They range from between 14 to over 30 members per troop. The largest troop currently is the Kanonkop troop.
The Cape Point baboons have been protected since 1939. This has given them both tameness and confidence that has endeared them to visitors at the park.
Of course, an instinctive human reaction to the baboons is to want to interact with them. And the easiest way to interact with them is to feed them. But there are very good reasons why you shouldn’t.
There are the obvious reasons: that they might begin to see humans as a ready source of food; that it might disrupt their natural foraging habits and ability; that some human food might be harmful to baboons. These are all true. But there’s a more immediate threat that isn’t quite as apparent.
We know that a baboon troop is organised according to a very strict hierarchy, with a dominant alpha male at the top, and below him a gang of deferent younger males, and below them an internal hierarchy of females, and finally – at the very bottom – their offspring.
Feeding and foraging is a daily ritual which is led by the alpha male. It is he who wakes first (baboons are notoriously late sleepers; each troop has a number of preferred sleeping places) and it is he who decides what time to set off on the day’s quest for food.
Baboon feeding is more or less an individual activity. But when a particularly rich source of food is encountered, then it is important that the alpha male eats first. Then the rest of the troop can tuck in, in order of seniority.
When humans come into contact with baboons, they usually want to feed the babies and docile females. That’s because these are usually the most accessible, the cutest, and least threatening. (It’s also because humans usually encounter entire baboon troops when they are engaged in social activities, like grooming or play).
The main problem is that when the alpha male sees the males and young eating before him, he sees the entire strict hierarchy of the troop being subverted. He will feel the need to re-establish his dominance in the troop, either by challenging the humans or by punishing the insubordinate females and young – or both.
By feeding the females and their young first, humans are flipping the social hierarchy on its head. Often with tragic consequences as the alpha metes out harsh punishments on the transgressors.
While it may seem like an innocent mistake on a person’s part, with benefits for baby baboons and mothers, it’s more detrimental than it is helpful.
So please, leave the baboons alone and take note:
- Remain in your vehicle
- Do not have food easily visible or displayed in or around your vehicle
- If you see the baboons fighting, do not intervene!
For more information on the Cape’s baboons, visit capepoint.co.za
Also read:
Look! Cape Town photographer captures the “biggest great white shark I have ever seen”
Pictures: Elenac Unami / Instagram
