Various stakeholders have pledged their commitment to finding a lasting solution to the issue of baboon management in the City of Cape Town.

Baboons occur naturally in the Cape Peninsula and their numbers have grown over the last few decades.

Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, urged all stakeholders to forge a close partnership that will be guided by science and research.

“This will give us the best outcome,” the Minister said on Wednesday.

The pledge follows a discussion at the stakeholder engagement in Cape Town, led by the Minister, who was joined by the City of Cape Town Deputy Mayor, Eddie Andrews, South African National Parks (SANParks) and Cape Nature.

Also in attendance were various interested and affected stakeholders, who have committed to ensuring that sustainable solutions to baboon management in Table Mountain National Park, the City of Cape Town and other protected areas are realised.

At this meeting, all three management authorities — SANParks, Cape Nature and the City of Cape Town – agreed:

• To establish a joint task team;

• To develop and pursue the development of a sustainable programme for the management of the Chacma baboon population on the Cape Peninsula; and

• That the first meeting of the task team will happen within the next two week.

Residents applauded the Minister for convening the stakeholder engagement and appreciated the spirit of collaboration to address the immediate problem of baboon troops in the area.

SANParks, Cape Nature and the city have agreed to work towards a Memorandum of Understanding to govern baboon management in the Cape Peninsula.

Source: South African Government News Agency