CoCT, Shark Spotters partner up to control baboon population

CAPE TOWN - Cape Town’s coastal areas and towns have had to learn to live alongside baboons for years, with the NCC rangers patrolling areas to ensure that baboons do not harm citizens.

But now the City of Cape Town has officially partnered with Shark Spotters to improve control of the chacma baboon population.

From 1 March, Shark Spotters will be taking over the ranger programme.

CEO of Shark Spotters Sarah Warries said they'll be adding to the current baboon ranger units.

"We’ll be absorbing those rangers that are working with Baboon Matters and baboon watchers in the north and with Green Group in the south and then we’re also adding additional rangers to almost every other troop that has rangers on already, so we’re increasing to about 108 rangers all together and then field management on top of that."

Warries said that they planned to meticulously look at the needs of the different troops to help them. 

"So what we’re trying to do at the moment as well is develop troop by troop strategies that look at what each troop needs, where the sort of challenge points are and then come up with solutions, kind of broad range of solutions so in there maybe the aversive techniques with paintballing and looking at various different techniques to try and improve the efficiency."