Refusing to die — reframing the Cape Peninsula Chacma baboon crisis through the return of suppressed ecologies
Two years on, promises of meaningful, proactive intervention remain largely unfulfilled. Instead, baboons are still subjected to violent aversive tactics like paintballs, confined to degraded habitats with diminishing natural forage. Unsurprisingly, they seek out high-calorie alternatives such as unsecured waste in urban areas, increasing human-wildlife encounters, fuelling public frustration and deepening social divisions.
While the Chacma baboon is indigenous to the Cape Peninsula and plays an important role in the local ecosystem, especially in seed dispersal, COCT and its partners, CapeNature and SANParks, collectively known as the Joint Task Team (JTT), plan to remove about 120 of them from their ancestral range.
This comes as a profound contradiction: COCT, globally recognised in 2024 as a ' Beacon City ' for its compassionate approach to animal management, is now advancing undeniably cruel removals as the sole response to the presence of wildlife in increasingly human-transformed landscapes.
Political expediency disguised as ecology
These removals are not driven by unavoidable so-called conflict. They reflect sustained failures to implement preventative measures and enforce existing legal obligations, including bylaws on waste management and traffic calming. The reliance on reactive, coercive interventions and short-term, violent fixes reflects a legacy of exclusionary governance and control-oriented ideologies that are inconsistent with constitutional principles of participatory decision-making, administrative justice, and practices that are free from violence.
To justify removals, a narrative has emerged, based on two flawed claims: first, that some baboons have splintered into smaller groups led by ' lower-ranking ' males and females; second, that hair loss may indicate poor health. The first claim ignores the biological reality that troop splintering is natural in baboon societies. The five 'splinter troops' targeted for removal have coped over the years, surviving devastating fires and human pressure. The second claim lacks scientific transparency: authorities have not released any data on stress hormone levels, despite clear links between hair loss and the chronic stress that their very management's violent tactics create. Residents regularly documented paintball gun use, including cruel attacks on lactating females and even day-old infants.
Ecological decline and governance failure
The 2024 Western Cape State of the Environment Report offers a dire picture: ecosystem health continued its steady decline over the past five years. Habitat loss and species deterioration are recorded even in protected areas like Table Mountain. Drivers include invasive species, poaching, arson, illegal trade, lack of enforcement and poor implementation. While protected areas have expanded on paper, this has not translated into ecological recovery.
These trends expose a critical truth: formal protection without ecological restoration is not sufficient. Fragmented, reactive conservation is failing. No climate adaptation plans seem to be effectively in place. No significant funding seems to be allocated to ecosystem repair. Most alarmingly, legal duties remain unfulfilled: the duty of care and the obligation to consider animal wellbeing in management decisions are routinely ignored. Nature continues to be treated not as a living system, but as an inert object to be controlled and used.
Indigenous wisdom and suppressed ecologies
Globally, indigenous communities represent just 5% of the population, yet protect more than 80% of biodiversity. In southern Africa, the San and Khoe peoples have long held baboons in high regard. Known as beings who ' refuse to die ', baboons were admired for their powerful resilience and ability to heal, escape danger and overcome drought and injury. San healers observed them closely, evoked their powers in rituals, and followed them to learn which plants they used to manage pain and heal, laying the foundation for their legendary knowledge of medicinal plants.
This is not folklore. It is empirical wisdom grounded in generations of observation and coexistence. But colonial and patriarchal conservation systems systematically devalued and suppressed this intelligence. They imposed binary hierarchies: man/woman, human/animal, white/non-white, mind/body, able/disabled, etc, to normalise domination and elimination. As Dr Vandana Shiva notes, modern science evolved to serve exploitation, treating Nature as lifeless and turning knowledge into a tool to justify extraction. In doing so, it dismissed the regenerative wisdom of Indigenous people, women and peasants, precisely the knowledge we now urgently need: that of care, reciprocity and regeneration.
Rehabilitation, not removal
Removal is not a solution; it is a symptom of systemic failure. The way forward lies in rehabilitation, restoration and rethinking our relationship with Nature. To begin repairing its fractured bond with wildlife, the JTT must shift from a conservation paradigm of control and elimination to one of ecological restoration and care.
COCT must immediately impose a moratorium on all planned baboon removals. Any future decision must be based on interdisciplinary knowledge, transparency, procedural fairness and genuine public consultation. This contrasts sharply with the flawed process imposed on the Cape Peninsula Baboon Advisory Group, which was handed the baboon removal final decision without being consulted.
CapeNature and SANParks must commit to large-scale habitat restoration. This means rehabilitating degraded zones, creating corridors and large ecological patches and planting indigenous food-bearing species essential for baboon and other wildlife survival, reducing their dependence on urban waste.
COCT must implement its own mitigation strategies and bylaws on waste management, WildCT and the Cape Peninsula Baboon Strategic Management Plan by promoting true interdepartmental collaboration between waste management, law enforcement, urban planning and environmental units.
This crisis is not simply political. It is ecological, ethical and cultural. It will only be resolved when the question shifts: not how to remove baboons, but how to restore the environments that have failed them. DM
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
6 days ago
- IOL News
CapeNature welcomes 475 new participants into Expanded Public Works Programme
L-R: CapeNature's Thabiso Mokoena, Elizabeth Maggot, Jonathan Jasson, Sakumzi Woyikani, and Graham Lewis. Image: CapeNature CapeNature has proudly welcomed 475 enthusiastic new participants into its three-year Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), reaffirming its commitment to skills development, environmental conservation, and community upliftment across the Western Cape. This significant intake was celebrated at Kogelberg Nature Reserve on Mandela Day, 18 July, a date that serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggle against poverty and inequality. The event not only marked the beginning of new opportunities for participants but also highlighted the vital role of meaningful employment in fostering social change. The 2023 Mandela Day theme, 'It's still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity,' resonates deeply with CapeNature's goals for the EPWP. The programme aims to address both environmental challenges and socio-economic issues faced by communities throughout the province. By providing a comprehensive platform for training, mentorship, and hands-on experience, CapeNature is poised to make a lasting impact on the lives of participants and their communities. Participants in the EPWP will receive critical training in areas such as invasive species management, wildfire response, biodiversity monitoring, and eco-tourism across various provincial nature reserves. The programme prioritises the inclusion of women, youth, and persons with disabilities, aligning with national targets to support vulnerable groups. Between 2022 and 2025, the programme is set to employ a total of 1,366 participants, offering three-year contracts instead of just one, thereby providing greater job security and opportunities for growth. MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, emphasised the transformative power of the EPWP during the welcoming event. 'During this time, there will be opportunities for training, and you will have the chance to explore your particular interests in conservation, tourism, or working with our many neighbours and stakeholder communities,' he said. Bredell highlighted past successes where participants have made significant advancements in personal development, including securing permanent employment as a direct result of their commitment to the programme. The inspiring stories of past participants illustrate the programme's potential. Thabiso Mokoena, who joined the EPWP after completing his undergraduate diploma, started as an Environmental Education Officer and is now a successful SMME Development Specialist. He attributes his career progression to the valuable skills and mentorship he received through the programme. As CapeNature continues to cultivate a skilled workforce, it remains dedicated to empowering individuals and fostering sustainable development in the Western Cape. This initiative not only invests in people but also in the preservation of nature, proving that meaningful employment can yield profound societal benefits.
IOL News
11-07-2025
- IOL News
Dogs on the trail of SA's endangered tortoises
Collie dog, Delta, working as part of the Endangered Wildlife Trust's Dryland Conservation Project, works to sniff out critically endangered Geometric tortoises on a private reserve in the Boland district of the Western Cape. Image: RODGER BOSCH / AFP Snout pressed to the ground, a border collie named Delta zigzagged through the shrubs on a private nature reserve near Cape Town, frantically sniffing for critically endangered tortoises. The dog stopped abruptly in front of a small bush and lay down, signalling a find as Delta's handler moved in to search the surrounding area. Hidden in the tall grass was a tiny reptile, its shell marked with yellow star-like patterns - a clear sign it was a geometric tortoise, a species found only at the southern tip of Africa. Collie dog, Delta, working as part of the Endangered Wildlife Trust's Dryland Conservation Project, sniffs at a critically endangered Geometric tortoise, that he helped locate on a private reserve in the Boland district of the Western Cape. Image: RODGER BOSCH / AFP Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ "It's an adult female, you can tell by its flat belly," said Esther Matthew, the dog's handler and a conservation officer for the Endangered Wildlife Trust. She explained that the organisation uses canines to sniff out the endangered species by "building positive association with the tortoises' odour", throwing Delta a foam frisbee as a reward. Dogs are five times more effective than humans at this type of search and "also help us find the smaller tortoises which are often overlooked, the hatchlings and the juveniles", Matthew said. "We've seen a dramatic increase in the number of finds with the dogs." The help has become crucial in studying and protecting the geometric tortoise, found only in South Africa's Western Cape province and on the verge of extinction. The species' population was already as low as 1500 individuals in the wild in the early 1990s, according to biologist Andrew Turner from CapeNature. It is now estimated at only several hundred animals with "declines pretty much across the entire remaining range of this species". On the nature reserve, Delta and Matthew - helped by colleagues searching the bushes with sticks - found a dozen of the hardy reptiles. "We record all the tortoises we can find, all the data, measurements and weight," Delta's handler explained. With the species' natural habitat shrinking due to agriculture and urban expansion, these surveys have become all the more critical, Turner said. "There are very few places left in the Western Cape that still support these tortoises. It's really just a couple of nature reserves and pieces of good habitat left on people's private property," he added. "The remaining patches of vegetation are not really connected to each other anymore. There are farmlands in between, roads, towns and industries so there is limited ability for the tortoises to disperse and rescue other populations." This fragmentation makes them all the more vulnerable to droughts, predation and fires, which scientists argue have become more frequent and intense thanks to climate change. Poaching -- of the tortoises and the plants they feed on -- is also a threat, Turner said. "They are down to such small levels that they actually need as much assistance as they can get," he said. To save the species, the Endangered Wildlife Trust has looked at building partnerships with landowners and communities living in the animals' habitat. Cape Times
Daily Maverick
29-06-2025
- Daily Maverick
Biodiversity under pressure — Western Cape ecosystems at a crossroads
The Western Cape's natural beauty is under growing threat. A new report from CapeNature paints a stark picture of declining ecosystem health across the province, from its mountain catchments to its embattled estuaries and river corridors. According to CapeNature's 2025 State of Conservation Report, more than half of the Western Cape's 350 ecosystem types are now classified as threatened. In a province celebrated globally for its biodiversity, the implications are serious — not just for nature, but for people and livelihoods. At the heart of the findings is a slow-burning emergency in freshwater and estuarine systems. Estuaries — biologically rich transition zones between rivers and the sea — are among the hardest hit. Forty-four of the Western Cape's 54 estuaries are listed as threatened, having been battered by altered flows, pollution, invasive species and urban sprawl. River and wetland systems fare no better, with 101 of 138 freshwater ecosystems facing ecological stress. Six of South Africa's 22 Strategic Water Source Areas fall entirely within the province. These mountainous zones are effectively the nation's water towers, feeding rivers that sustain agriculture, cities and rural communities alike. If these systems fail, the ripple effects will be felt in taps and irrigation systems across the country. The pressures on biodiversity are not limited to the province's rivers. Marine, shoreline, terrestrial and montane systems are also under siege. The drivers are familiar: habitat loss, changing land use, climate change, fire and the ever-expanding footprint of invasive alien plants. Each threat compounds the next, forming what conservationists increasingly describe as a 'polycrisis' for biodiversity. Silent decline Unlike the visible drama of a wildfire or a flood, biodiversity loss is often quiet and cumulative. Wetlands dry up, frogs vanish, pollinators retreat, and entire ecological relationships fray unnoticed. By the time the absence is noticed — an empty estuary, a degraded vlei — it may be too late. The report confirms that wetlands in particular are teetering. Nearly three-quarters of South Africa's most critically endangered wetland types occur in the Western Cape. More than a third of river types and 40% of wetland types in the province have no formal protection. This lack of legal and physical safeguarding undermines ecosystem resilience just when it's needed most. The health of these wetlands is not simply a question of conserving birds or frogs. The systems act as sponges, soaking up floodwaters, filtering pollutants and recharging groundwater. Their degradation threatens agriculture, drinking water supplies and even regional stability in the face of a changing climate. Biodiversity's broken shield CapeNature's mandate includes protecting the Western Cape's remarkable biodiversity, much of which is found nowhere else on Earth. The Cape Floristic Region — one of only six floral kingdoms globally — is renowned for its plant diversity and endemic species. Yet even here, the shield is cracking. The report catalogues a long list of species under pressure: freshwater fish hanging on in shrinking rivers; endemic frogs surviving in isolated mountain pools; critically endangered plants with just a few known individuals left in the wild. Species such as the Table Mountain ghost frog or the blue-tongue orchid live on the edge of extinction, dependent on specific microclimates or pollinators that are themselves disappearing. One high-profile casualty is the African penguin. Once a common sight along the coast, its breeding population has declined by more than 70% in recent decades, prompting its classification as critically endangered. While charismatic species like penguins attract attention, countless less visible organisms — spiders, amphibians, invertebrates — are disappearing in parallel. Hope in the highlands Yet the report has bright spots. Over the past year, CapeNature expanded the province's protected area network by more than 13,000 hectares, a notable achievement in an era where competing land-use pressures are intense. Much of this gain came through stewardship agreements — innovative partnerships with private landowners to conserve critical biodiversity outside formal reserves. These efforts are bolstered by new spatial planning tools, including the recently adopted Western Cape Biodiversity Spatial Plan. This blueprint enables conservationists to prioritise high-value, high-threat landscapes and intervene strategically. By layering ecological data, threat assessments and land-use trends, planners can map out where conservation will have the greatest impact. Another encouraging development is the increased use of real-time monitoring and surveillance. CapeNature's collaboration with universities, research institutes and citizen scientists has produced detailed inventories of plant and animal populations, helping to guide everything from fire management to species recovery plans. Still, the gains are incremental and often precarious. As the report makes clear, many species and ecosystems remain one step from collapse. Monitoring can reveal the decline, but cannot halt it without political will, funding and broad societal support. A tool for action 'This report is more than a reflection of where we stand environmentally,' said Anton Bredell, the Western Cape provincial minister of local government, environmental affairs and development planning, at the report's launch. 'It is also a useful guide for decision-making in a way that strengthens both ecosystems and communities.' That emphasis on human wellbeing is echoed by CapeNature's CEO, Dr Ashley Naidoo. 'The resilience of our ecosystems and the services they provide is key to the wellbeing of the people of the Western Cape,' he said. The message is clear: conservation is not just about scenic beauty or species counts. It is about securing the natural infrastructure on which society depends — clean air, safe water, fertile soil and a stable climate. Crucially, the report aligns with the national State of Environment Outlook and international commitments under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. It is part of a broader attempt to not only track biodiversity loss but reverse it — one hectare, one river, one estuary at a time. Looking ahead, CapeNature and its partners face a difficult balancing act: to expand the conservation estate while simultaneously managing pressures from development, agriculture and climate volatility. The tools are there: adaptive management, targeted restoration, stewardship programmes, spatial planning. What's needed is urgency. The report offers not just a snapshot of what's wrong, but a foundation for action. It shows where life hangs in the balance and where interventions can still tip the scale. The Western Cape's ecosystems have long shaped its identity, economy and culture. Saving them is not a luxury but a necessity. DM
