Baboons spotted

“What a treat, but it was also a bit scary
as there was some fighting. However, there
were monitors on hand, just in case,” said
Constantia resident Diane Longmore. 

Last month, the City’s baboon-management contractor relocated a male baboon,
popularly known as Kataza, from Kommetjie
to Tokai, sparking a public outcry. 

The City said the baboon was moved
because it had created a splinter group of
seven females, all related to it, that could
lead to in-breeding. 

Kataza had also been
leading the group on raids in Kommetjie. 

On social media, community groups
complained that the relocation would cause
the baboon stress, expose it to dangerous
roads and access to homes.
In an open letter last week, Francesca de
Gasparis, executive director of the Southern
African Faith Communities’ Environment
Institute, said the City’s decisions regarding
baboons in recent years lacked community
involvement and transparency, even though
residents were directly affected. 

Marian Nieuwoudt, mayoral committee
member for spatial planning and environment, said decisions were taken in consultation with the City’s Baboon Technical
Team, which consulted routinely with locally
and internationally recognised experts in
baboon behavioural ecology and conservation. 

Ms Niewoudlt also said Kataza’s chances
of out-breeding were greatly improved by
the relocation