Baboons: Virtual fence blitz activated
The virtual fence, which will help keep the baboons out of Voëlklip, was activated on Monday.
This came after two baboons, Stevie and Nicky, were collared in May this year while the volunteer team eagerly awaited the green light to go ahead with the rest of the exercise.
In a recent incident, baboons caused major damage to the value of R16 000 around a resident’s swimming pool outside their house in Voëlklip.
Ward councillor Kari Brice, who is also heading up the virtual fence programme, said in a meeting last week on Thursday that the issue is now critical and something drastic needs to be done.
“The virtual fence was activated on Monday for the period of two weeks,” she said. “Baboon trouble makers will also be identified and reported to Cape Nature Conservation.”
Funding to date was used for collaring the baboons, relay stations and operation boxes. This was sponsored mainly by the Hermanus Ratepayers’ Association, HPP and the Ward 3 Committee.
Another R10 000 came from private donations, which were paid to Human Wildlife Solutions (HWS) for the two-week blitz, but does not cover the actual fee.
Philip Richardson, behavioural ecologist at HWS, has committed the agency to providing some of their staff for the two-week period and to provide training for local staff, who will be taking over.
“This programme works successfully in Gordon’s Bay, so I cannot see why it can’t work in Hermanus,” he said. “But it will take time as the baboons try and challenge the fence from time to time in the beginning, but eventually they will realise that it’s not safe beyond that line.”
The Overstrand Municipality issued a statement recently claiming it has no power to undertake baboon control.
According to the statement, the municipality does not have the duty nor the power to control baboons, and that baboon control is a function assigned to the provincial and national spheres of government by the Constitution, and the Nature Conservation Ordinance confers this power on the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board.
The municipality appealed to Cape Nature to take action to protect its residents from the baboons, which have caused damage to property, and demanded that they fulfil their duties and control the baboons identified as causing damage.
Overstrand Municipality also said it was awaiting feedback from the provincial government regarding its appeal.
Funds, however, are still a problem as this programme needs to be sustained throughout. According to Brice, there are basically two options.
She said: “We either need to raise the funds or we can look into charging, eg R20 more on rates and taxes, which will be paid through the account of HPP, to go towards the programme. But this is just a thumb suck gauge public reception to this idea. After about a week we can draw up a business plan, which shows the amount sustainable for driving this programme.”
For more information, Brice can be contacted on 083 650 4206.