Shark Spotters take over Cape Town's baboon management: 'It's going pretty well' – CEO
The Cape Baboon Partnership is in the midst of a recruitment drive with the goal of deploying 106 rangers in the field.
Shark Spotters crew member - Facebook
CapeTalk's John Maytham interviews Sarah Waries, CEO of Shark Spotters.
Listen below:
For years, Cape Town’s baboon management strategy has relied on ranger patrols to reduce human-wildlife conflict.
However, a major shift is now underway.
The City of Cape Town has partnered with Shark Spotters – a team well-known for monitoring sharks along the coastline – to take over the baboon management programme.
As of 1 March, the Cape Baboon Partnership has begun expanding and refining the ranger unit to offer a more effective and targeted approach to managing the needs of baboon troops across the city.
Four days into the transition, Waries says that progress is going as expected, despite the inevitable learning curves.
"I think it's going pretty well so far."
- Sarah Waries, CEO – Shark Spotters
Currently, there are 12 baboon troops in the city: six in the north, from Constantia Nek down to the Zwaanswyk area, and six in the south, near Kommetjie and Simon's Town.
Waries adds that the Cape Baboon Partnership is in the midst of a recruitment drive with the goal of deploying 106 rangers in the field.
At present, around 40 rangers are actively working on the ground.
"Time will tell, we'll have to see how it goes."
- Sarah Waries, CEO – Shark Spotters
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.