Category: PRIMATE PROTECTION IN SOUTH AFRICA

PUBLIC STATEMENT

BABOONS NEED TO BE RESPECTED, NOT FEARED, HATED, HUNTED AND PERSECUTED BY CHILDREN AND ADULTS ALIKE IN SOUTH AFRICA

Wednesday 12^th February 2025

The Members of WAPFSA are deeply concerned by reports of school children violently stoning and beating a dispersing male Chacma baboon, then according to reports, binding him with metal wire and a tire, and burning him to death, while at a school in Mpumalanga Province. This barbaric and inhumane act was captured on camera and shared on social media. 

WAPFSA acknowledges the fact that South Africa is a violent country. According to the United National Office for Drugs and Crime, the South African murder rate for 2023 and 2024 of 45 per 100 000 is the second highest for countries that publish crime data.

Crime researchers use murder rate per 100 000 as a crude measure of the general level of violent interpersonal crime globally.

Witnessing such violence predicts and increase’s a child’s engagement in maladaptive behaviours, including the perpetration of violence towards humans and animals. 

The  United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child  confirms that the damage violence  can cause for those children who witness it, has long been flagged by psychologists.  

Violence against animals has been documented by extensive scientific research and has been linked to other forms of violence including direct and indirect domestic and gender-based violence, violence in the workplace and against children,  

This particular act of violence towards a sentient and intelligent Chacma baboon needs to be thoroughly investigated and the consequences must be addressed without delay.  Baboons are victims of inexplicable hatred in South Africa and are widely considered as vermin despite their complex social structure and intelligence.  

PLEASE READ THE FULL STATEMENT

Teaching Children that it is an Acceptable Practice to Shoot Baboons 

Tens of millions of rands of taxpayers’ money has been spent on attempting to manage baboons in the Cape Peninsula and the Overstrand over the past two decades using  protocols which, according the available data, and expert and public opinion, ignore baboon sentience and well-being and have not been successful for baboons or for humans. 

For example, the Cape Peninsula Baboon-Strategic-Management-Plan sanctions the use of paintball markers against the 16 indigenous baboon troops historically present on the Peninsula as a management technique. Perhaps, encouraged by this violent management strategy, some residents have taken up arms such as pellet guns, and other lethal means, resulting in the death of numerous baboons this year.

Intensive research of these management practices in the Western Cape, has highlighted the fact that the protocols established to manage baboons were instituted by a baboon management company and adopted without a rigorous public participation process by the City of Cape Town Municipality, Cape Nature, SANParks and the Overstrand Municipality.  These protocols must be recast.  Baboon management, at the very least, requires a flexible, dynamic and compassionate approach.

In Pringle Bay in the Western Cape, the Overstrand Municipality has armed entire teams of individuals, employed via the extended Public Works Programme, with paint ball markers and other weapons to shoot the baboons out of the village. This violent approach ignores the fact that the Chacma baboon depends upon foraging areas within the village in order to survive. 

There is evidence that this violent strategy in Pringle Bay has encouraged residents, including young adults to take up arms and to do the same with dire consequences for the welfare and wellbeing of the Chacma baboons. 

Stop the Cycle of Anger and Violence

The witnessing violence may lead to the perpetration of further violence, will certainly involve desensitization, and decrease empathy. At the very least witnessing violence will result in maladaptive coping mechanisms and other learned behaviours. 

The very public and barbaric killing of the Chacma baboon, fondly named Raygun by everyone who followed his journey through Pretoria, is an important alarm signal to bring in much needed change in our violent society.  If we do not act now, and set an example, what hope is there for future generations of South Africans?

WAPFSA urges government institutions to reform outdated baboon management policies. Civil society and the public must recognise that we have reached a breaking point and take a firm stand against the persecution of baboons and the brutality they endure.

Image: Baboon shot in the face with a paintball marker in Pringle Bay

©WAPFSA 2025. All Rights Reserved.

 The Wildlife Animal Protection Forum of South Africa (WAPFSA) wishes to express our full support for the current Private Members Presentation Bill introduced by the Honourable Minister of Parliament David Reed. 

The Wildlife Animal Protection Forum of South Africa (WAPFSA) is a national network of thirty South African organizations established in 2017 and which was explicitly designed as a vehicle to engage with government on wildlife issues and to put wild animals onto the political agenda, based on ethical and compassionate conservation and harmonious co-existence within nature. 

Our members share clearly articulated principles that are part of our Founding Document. Our common goal is to safeguard and protect wild animals and their welfare and well-being, as well as biodiversity, individual species, individual animals and the interests of vulnerable people. 

All our activities are underpinned by an understanding that the inter-relationship between environmental protection, animal well-being, conservation and the values of dignity, compassion and humaneness are foundational to our constitutional democracy, a position which has been recognized in South African jurisprudence We also advocate for the concepts of 

UBUNTU, the intrinsic value of wild animals and an integrative policy approach, which requires the adoption of an attitude of respect to the individuals that make up a species, an eco-system or the components of biodiversity. Key to WAPFSA’s activities is the understanding that there is an urgent need to reimagine human-animal relations and that animal welfare and climate change are intertwined. 

The undersigned organizations and community representatives, who are widely supported by wildlife conservationists across the African continent and beyond, would like to take this opportunity to share with you, our African perspective on the negative impacts of the commercialization, advertisement and sale of trophy hunts of African endangered and protected species. 

READ THE LETTER:

©WAPFSA 2024. All Rights Reserved.

This memorandum of demands is addressed to: Honourable Minister Dion George, Honourable Minister Jon Steehuisen, Honourable Minister Anton Bredell, Honourable Minister Ivan Meyer, Honourable Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews and Chairperson Dave Bryant

Read the Memorandum of Demands:

The Climate Justice Movement and the Co-Operative and Policy Alternative Center and the South African Food Sovereignty Campaign are calling upon Parliament to adopt the revised Food Sovereignty Act No. 1 of 2024 and Feed Ourselves Through Food Sovereignty Policy as comprehensive frameworks to address the systematic inequalities and climate vulnerabilities that threaten our communities.

WAPFSA stands united in calling for the immediate recognition of these demands, critical to ending hunger, thirst, and climate harm and protecting nature. The future of South Africa’s food system depends on a deep and triple-just transition that enters on the needs of people and the web of life. This is crucial as a cornerstone of the Climate Justice Charter and Climate Emergency Social Contract for all in South Africa. United we can give an emancipatory future to South Africa the planet and future generations.

28th October 2024

https://www0.sun.ac.za/awei/events/2024-10/african-wildlife-consultative-forum

https://www.awcfinfo.org/

The annual African Wildlife Consultative Forum (AWCF) is Safari Club International (SCI) premier activity in Africa.

The annual meeting, which is being facilitated by Stellenbosch University’s African Wildlife Economy Institute (AWEI) brings together professional hunting associations, hunting and conservation organisations, and range state government officials. The meeting will take place in Stellenbosch from 28 Oct – 1 Nov 2024. 

Members of the Wildlife Animal Protection Forum of South Africa, have raised concern that Stellenbosch University is adopting a dangerous one sided approach to wildlife conservation.

READ the letter written to Stellenbosch University:

©WAPFSA 2024. All Rights Reserved.

False and Misleading Information Lead to Aggressive Onslaught Towards Baboons and the Humans who Protect Them

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A volunteer based, registered non-profit organisation called Kogelberg Villages Environmental Trustees (KVET) whose mission it is to ensure the humane management of the Pringle Bay baboon troop and to prevent human-baboon conflict has publicly been accused of taming the Pringle Bay baboons.

A study carried out in Pringle Bay by a primatologist has confirmed that the Kogelberg Villages Environmental Trustees KVET BIOS were never witnessed attempting to influence the baboon troop movement in Pringle Bay.  According to the report, the baboon’s movement in the village was minimally, if at all, influenced by the presence of either the KVET BIOS or the Overstrand Municipal baboon monitors. 

The rhetoric expressed by some residents in Pringle Bay that KVET has negatively influenced the behaviour of the baboon troop in Pringle Bay is therefore false and deliberately misleading. 

Analysed data, collected over a period of more than a year also indicates that there has been a reduction in the number of so-called house raids by the baboons who live in Pringle Bay in comparison to when the baboons were managed by a company contracted by the municipality called Human Wildlife Solutions. 

Despite the condemnation of over three thousand participants and supporters of a petition, the human-baboon conflict in Pringle Bay is once again being addressed through short-term mitigation and incident preparedness measures, which includes the deployment of deterrents and or possible lethal control methods. Lethal because the shooting of baboons with paint ball markers is indiscriminate with no regard to lactating females and or infants and juveniles. 

This approach, as we have learnt over time and past failed attempts, will only tackle the symptoms, but not the underlying causes.  As an elephant ecologist once said, treating human-wildlife conflict with deterrents is akin to treating brain tumours only with Aspirin. 

Wildfires, the reduction, fragmentation, and degradation of baboon habitat around Pringle Bay in the Western Cape of South Africa has meant that baboons are losing the space and the resources they need to survive. This has increased the visibility of the baboons in the village, which has for some residents developed into a competition between themselves and the baboons, a situation which is affecting the well-being of all.  Some residents are reportedly experiencing negative impacts of a perceived quality of life which is directly eroding their tolerance of the conservation of the baboons which has led to the cruel deterrent control methods currently being deployed on the baboons Pringle Bay. 

On Saturday 24th August, at 12 noon it was reported that Joey, the alpha male had been shot killed in Pringle Bay. 

Joey’s death described as victim of violence, ignorance and intolerance. A large reward has been offered for information. An advocate and watching brief has been appointed to investigate the senseless killing. 

@WAPFSA 2024. All Rights Reserved

The Cape Peninsula Baboon Management Joint Task Team (CPBMJTT) consisting of representatives from SANParks, CapeNature, and the City of Cape , called on communities from baboon-affected areas, stakeholders, and organisations from the South Peninsula with a direct interest in baboon management to nominate representatives to serve on the Cape Peninsula Baboon Advisory Group.

Formally constituted groups and organisations with a direct and special interest in the Southern Peninsula’s baboon population were encouraged to submit nominations. The closing date is 31^st July 2024.

Members of the Wildlife Animal Protection Forum Nominated two member organisations:

Image Credit: KVET 2024

©WAPFSA 2024. All Rights Reserved.

On the 24th July 2024, this submission was made by the Wildlife Animal Protection Forum of South Africa (WAPFSA) in response to the draft Biodiversity Management Plan for Black Rhinoceros     (Diceros Bicornis) and White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium Simum) in South Africa published under Government Notice 4980 in Government Gazette 50829 of 18 June 2024.

WAPFSA was established as a vehicle to engage with government on wild life issues, and to put wild animals onto the political agenda based on ethical and compassionate conservation and harmonious coexistence within nature. 

WAPFSA is a civil society network currently consisting of twenty eight (28) South African-based protection, conservation, environmental and community organisations that share certain common values, expertise and objectives. 

WAPFSA’s activities are underpinned by an understanding that the inter-relationship between environmental protection, animal well-being, conservation and the values of dignity, compassion and humaneness are foundational to our constitutional democracy. WAPFSA also advocate for the concepts of UBUNTU, the intrinsic value of wild animals and an integrative policy approach.

Collectively, WAPFSA offers the South African government, a body of expertise from scientific, animal welfare, rights, social and climate justice, indigenous knowledge, public advocacy sectors and environmental law experts.

Please download the submission:

Given all the issues raised in this submission, WAPFSA’s recommendations are:

1. Close the domestic market for rhino horn by imposing a moratorium.
2. Conduct on-going mandatory audits of private and state-owned rhino horn stockpiles. 
3. Strengthen and Improve law enforcement and operations to dismantle rhino horn trafficking syndicates. 
4. Cooperate with all relevant and national foreign authorities.
5. Shut down all facilities that breed rhino for any purpose other than solely for conservation.
6. South Africa must abandon the idea of trading in rhino horn and encourage other Range States to do the same. 
7. Rather than banking on the extinction of rhinos, South Africa must embrace rhino horn stockpile destruction as an anti-poaching, anti-trafficking, and demand reduction tool to meaningfully contribute to the ethical protection of rhino populations in Africa and Asia and to mitigate their extinction. Doing so will send a strong signal that South Africa is firmly committed to preserving and protecting rhinos, and to truly ensuring their welfare and well-being.
8. By virtue of the precautionary approach, South Africa, and other CITES States Parties must act in the best interest of the conservation of the species and urgently uplist rhinos currently on Appendix II to Appendix I. 

Image: Rhinos in Africa 2017

©WAPFSA 2024. All Rights Reserved.

The Wildlife Animal Protection Forum (WAPFSA), is a forum consisting of thirty South African organisations that are all actively involved with the protection and conservation of wild animals and the natural environment in South Africa.
The members share a body of expertise from vastly different fields including, but not limited to, science, the environment, the law, animal welfare, human and non-human rights, social justice, the climate, the ocean, the indigenous perspective and public advocacy.

For the reasons expressed below in this document, WAPSA members firmly oppose the Adaptive Management Plan to move the Pringle Bay baboon troop out of the urban area, announced by the Overstrand Municipality on the 29th of April 2024.

In particular, WAPFSA opposes the reintroduction of weapons as a means to manage the baboons in Pringle Bay, because there are good reasons to believe that it will have a negative impact on the welfare of baboons and will not solve the problems.

WAPFSA proposes that the municipality adopt a different approach, focusing on tackling the factors drawing baboons into residential areas, as detailed further below.

READ THE FULL LETTER:

In 2021 the residents of Pringle Bay highlighted the following points for change, these points are still applicable today:

1. No resident wants the baboons in their houses, but they also don’t want baboons constantly harassed, chased and shot at.
2. A shepherding approach needs to be followed by all monitors. The previous system used in Pringle Bay by the PBRA/PBBAG was an excellent method of managing the baboons. The monitors were polite and loved the baboons.
   They also notified residents by blowing whistles, clapping and ringing doorbells when thebaboons were in the area.
3. UndernocircumstancesshouldababoonbetargetedforremovalorkillingintheBiosphere.
4. The infringement of private property needs to stop. Pringle Bay residents are tired of seeingbattles intheir gardens. Plots are crossed on foot by monitors, damaging sensitive fynbos.
5. Waste management needs to be addressed. Baboon-proof bins must be used by residents.The public bins scattered all over the Overstrand need to be fixed and maintained to prevent baboon access. Holidaymakers need to be made aware by rental agents and/or homeowners of the baboons. Homeowners also need to ensure any waste is disposed of in the correct way, e.g. taken to the dump, not left on the side of the road.
6. Signage at holiday homes, restaurants and shops must be erected. The message should be clear: no feeding of the baboons, no illegal dumping.
7. Noshootingorinjuringofbaboons.Finesmustbeimposedifanyoneisfounddoinganyofthe above.
8. Newresidentsshouldbemadeawarebyestateagentsthattheyliveinabiosphereandithas animals that we need to protect. An information welcome pack should be provided to all new residents, and new builds and placed in the rental properties for the educational value it can provide regarding the presence of baboons in the area.
9. Houses must be baboon-proofed and access by baboons prevented. Special groups within the village should be set up to advise new residents on baboon proofing, etc. Building plan approval should be conditional on the inclusion of baboon proofing.
10. Shop owners in the central business district should display baboon information in their windows and have information pamphlets available to the public. Baboon-proofed bins and baboon safety doors should be requirements for all business owners.

Conclusion

WAPSA Members Oppose the Adaptive Management Plan to Move Pringle Bay Troop Out of the Urban Area Announced by the Overstrand Municipality on the 29th April 2024

WAPFSA hereby officially opposes the reintroduction of weapons as means to manage the baboons in Pringle Bay.

WAPFSA is hereby officially appealing for the immediate cessation of the anti-baboon rhetoric and the dangerous disinformation campaign that is being allowed to perpetuate on social media, which is fuelling the aggressive behaviour of some of the men in Pringle Bay.

KVET has conducted meetings with the South African Police Services and a criminal attorney and can confirm the activities that they are carrying out in Pringle Bay are not illegal. KVET is not collecting data on the residents of Pringle Bay, they are not hindering or obstructing the Overstrand Municipality employees in any manner whatsoever.

KVET is carrying out valuable community work in Pringle Bay at no cost to the Overstrand ratepayer.

A number of baboon experts, who have vast documented experience working with the Pringle Bay troop, have offered their learned opinions about the current baboon behaviour in Pringle Bay. A non-violent, transparent management strategy agreed upon by all stakeholders must be sought so that the troop can safely enter their sleep sites.

The Municipality should be encouraged to rebuild the waste dump site at no cost to the ratepayers and to make sure that residents baboon-proof their homes and the waste bins.

Image Credit: KVET 2024

©WAPFSA 2024. All Rights Reserved.