Baboons in Rooiels
Baboons are not naturally aggressive towards humans or their pets. They are essentially focused on your food. For the sake of both the baboons and your sanity - remove all food opportunities. If confronted by a baboon drop the food you are carrying and they lose all interest in you. Dont give them a fright when they are in your house or they void their bowels - be sure you are not blocking their exit and calmly insist they take what they have grabbed and leave. They will protect their young if chased by a dog, but otherwise they leave them alone.
Most Rooielsers love living in wild nature and sharing our world with the baboons - but we do need to take precautions and we need to avoid feeding them so we can keep living with them. "Strategies to reduce baboon-human conflict should focus on reducing the benefits to baboons of seeking human-derived foods (i.e., reduce attractants), or increasing the costs to them of doing so (i.e., effective use of deterrents). The overarching goal should be to prevent baboons from accessing human-derived foods. The onus is on property owners to adequately protect their property against these very adaptable, intelligent wild animals!" (Imfene Education and Conservation website)
Check out the Tips for living with baboons below
Most Rooielsers love living in wild nature and sharing our world with the baboons - but we do need to take precautions and we need to avoid feeding them so we can keep living with them. "Strategies to reduce baboon-human conflict should focus on reducing the benefits to baboons of seeking human-derived foods (i.e., reduce attractants), or increasing the costs to them of doing so (i.e., effective use of deterrents). The overarching goal should be to prevent baboons from accessing human-derived foods. The onus is on property owners to adequately protect their property against these very adaptable, intelligent wild animals!" (Imfene Education and Conservation website)
Check out the Tips for living with baboons below
For more detailed information and articles go to Baboon Research. Also of interest is the Rooiels Baboon Family Tree Go to the Rooiels Wildlife Action Group page for ongoing information on intensifying baboon theft and break-ins.
Feeding, shooting or harming baboons is unlawful
How to protect your home - Click hereBe sure that you either have round turning door handle - or that you keep your doors locked at all times. They will test you! Download the attached file to get hints on what to do to be baboon secure.
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What to do if they get in
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Living with them in the fynbos The baboons will always take a chance at easy pickings - our food has many more calories for less effort! If we keep them out we can continue to enjoy them all around us.
Click here to see a delightful vimeo by John Charalambous. |
Below are the Posters summarising information about living with the baboons. We suggest that you also download, print and laminate the posters and put them on your fridge for visitors to see. The print size PDF files to download are given below
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Die Burger "Bobbehane se anarisme raak teer punt in ons" an interesting perspective on how baboons rouse our emotions
Joselyn Mormile is putting together the Family Tree of the Rooiels Baboon Troop.
For research information on baboons that may be of interest link to the Baboon Research page in this website.
There are various theses, articles and papers.
For research information on baboons that may be of interest link to the Baboon Research page in this website.
There are various theses, articles and papers.
spot the dog trying to make the baboon return his stolen bounty!
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This little baby was born on 4th Oct. 2016 and this photograph was taken within a few hours of birth. Click the Photograph to go to a collection of photos of the Rooiels baboon troop at play, |
Wandering through the village and down at the sea foraging for limpets.
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For the latest News about the Rooiels Troop - go to Baboon News which Joselyn will update
MANAGING BABOONS LIVING WITH US IN ROOIELS - talk given by Jenny Stark
1. Relocation: I am frequently asked if the Municipality will relocate a troublesome baboon, and the answer is almost certainly NO. The reasons for this are understandable.
First, the offending baboon must be identified unequivocally and marked. While the capture team is on the way the baboon must be kept in sight and on arrival, the team must be directed to him. Then, a vet must accompany the team (jpaid per hour), dart the animal and supervise caging. Once this is done, transport must be arranged and a safe location found for his release. Baboons cannot simply be dumped anywhere, and the farm that used to accept baboons from our area is no longer doing so. Experience has shown that when an alpha male or a dispersing male (the cheakiest of the bunch) is removed, he is quickly replaced with another. So, a very time-consuming, expensive operation is quickly rendered useless. (ed: And many of us living in Rooiels like having them around - even if we have moments when we dont!)
2. Prevention: Living in Rooi Els is not the same as living in Cape Town and it is the humans that have to adapt. First, we must keep food inaccessible to the baboons. This includes food in our homes, businesses, refuse, fruit trees and veggie gardens. If growing fresh produce is your thing, you will have to prevent baboon access (take a look at what Geoff Harris and Keith Moir have done). We have to keep our homes and shops baboon-proof ALL THE TIME and our bins baboon-proofed. It is not always convenient, but in the long run, the best way to manage baboon-human conflict (and reduce our own stress levels) is to honour the Rooiels Vision and live in harmony with the baboons. This means DO NOT FEED THEM - either deliberately or inadvertently.
3. Businesses: I know that most of the businesses in the RE CBD trade in food and this presents very real challenges.
3.1 Please keep your premises baboon-proofed and if customers want to sit outside please have staff keep an eye open for prowling baboons. Pointing a cattie at them usually does the trick, but baboons are also stealthy and so quick that incidents can happen. So,
3.2 Please make sure your customers know that they should NEVER enter into a tug-of-war with a baboon. They should know to keep bags out of sight and, if a baboon grabs a bag, they should let it go. Help them retrieve it later (with a smile). Also, reassure your customers that baboons are not predators, like lions, and they don't deliberately attack people. Provided they abide by a few ground rules, your customers are completely safe. I would just add that on the rare occasions that 2 males are fighting for dominance, it is best to stay out of the way, and keep your customers away too. This is what the baboons in the troop do and we should learn from them. Testosterone-fueled male baboons are unpredictable and aggressive.
ATTACKS AND MOCK-ATTACKS:
I was told of a baboon attacking another lady at Something Els last Sunday (26 Jan 2014).
In fact, the lady was eating a packet of nuts which a male baboon grabbed out of her hand. When she tried to grab it back, he bared his teeth at her. He also touched her on the arm.
Just remember that adult baboons are very powerful animals and if they attack there will be injuries, possibly serious injuries.
Instead, they usually use a 'MOCK ATTACK'' strategy and since having those huge canines close to your face is a terrifying experience, this is enough to get what they want. (ed: we have never had a single person hurt by a baboon in Rooiels)
Please be careful about using the word 'ATTACK' unless this is actually what happened. It is usually an inaccurate term and spreads a sense of fear.
In Rooi Els, we have chosen the route of trying to live in harmony with the baboons and enjoy having them here. Our neighbouring villages have chosen another way.
There are far fewer baboon-human incidents occurring in Rooi Els than in Pringle Bay, despite our baboon troop presently being double the size. So it seems to me that our way is working.
It is not easy. Of course,we have frustrating and sometimes infuriating incidents, and for those of us who are trying to run people-based businesses, it can be challenging. But, we live in a uniquely beautiful place, in a Conservancy with a noble Vision, in a Biosphere Reserve. TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE IT WORK!
Thank you to every Rooielser for making our village special. We have managed baboon-human interactions remarkably well for more than a decade now. As far as I know, we are the only village in the Western Cape
that has achieved this. If we continue to work together, with perseverance, patience, humour and understanding, we will continue to make it work.
Jenny
Dr JH Stark, PhD,
Rooi Els Conservancy
Tel: 028-273-8961
Cell: 082-896-8152
Website: www.wonderlingsbandb.com
Email: jenny@wonderlingsbandb.com
1. Relocation: I am frequently asked if the Municipality will relocate a troublesome baboon, and the answer is almost certainly NO. The reasons for this are understandable.
First, the offending baboon must be identified unequivocally and marked. While the capture team is on the way the baboon must be kept in sight and on arrival, the team must be directed to him. Then, a vet must accompany the team (jpaid per hour), dart the animal and supervise caging. Once this is done, transport must be arranged and a safe location found for his release. Baboons cannot simply be dumped anywhere, and the farm that used to accept baboons from our area is no longer doing so. Experience has shown that when an alpha male or a dispersing male (the cheakiest of the bunch) is removed, he is quickly replaced with another. So, a very time-consuming, expensive operation is quickly rendered useless. (ed: And many of us living in Rooiels like having them around - even if we have moments when we dont!)
2. Prevention: Living in Rooi Els is not the same as living in Cape Town and it is the humans that have to adapt. First, we must keep food inaccessible to the baboons. This includes food in our homes, businesses, refuse, fruit trees and veggie gardens. If growing fresh produce is your thing, you will have to prevent baboon access (take a look at what Geoff Harris and Keith Moir have done). We have to keep our homes and shops baboon-proof ALL THE TIME and our bins baboon-proofed. It is not always convenient, but in the long run, the best way to manage baboon-human conflict (and reduce our own stress levels) is to honour the Rooiels Vision and live in harmony with the baboons. This means DO NOT FEED THEM - either deliberately or inadvertently.
3. Businesses: I know that most of the businesses in the RE CBD trade in food and this presents very real challenges.
3.1 Please keep your premises baboon-proofed and if customers want to sit outside please have staff keep an eye open for prowling baboons. Pointing a cattie at them usually does the trick, but baboons are also stealthy and so quick that incidents can happen. So,
3.2 Please make sure your customers know that they should NEVER enter into a tug-of-war with a baboon. They should know to keep bags out of sight and, if a baboon grabs a bag, they should let it go. Help them retrieve it later (with a smile). Also, reassure your customers that baboons are not predators, like lions, and they don't deliberately attack people. Provided they abide by a few ground rules, your customers are completely safe. I would just add that on the rare occasions that 2 males are fighting for dominance, it is best to stay out of the way, and keep your customers away too. This is what the baboons in the troop do and we should learn from them. Testosterone-fueled male baboons are unpredictable and aggressive.
ATTACKS AND MOCK-ATTACKS:
I was told of a baboon attacking another lady at Something Els last Sunday (26 Jan 2014).
In fact, the lady was eating a packet of nuts which a male baboon grabbed out of her hand. When she tried to grab it back, he bared his teeth at her. He also touched her on the arm.
Just remember that adult baboons are very powerful animals and if they attack there will be injuries, possibly serious injuries.
Instead, they usually use a 'MOCK ATTACK'' strategy and since having those huge canines close to your face is a terrifying experience, this is enough to get what they want. (ed: we have never had a single person hurt by a baboon in Rooiels)
Please be careful about using the word 'ATTACK' unless this is actually what happened. It is usually an inaccurate term and spreads a sense of fear.
In Rooi Els, we have chosen the route of trying to live in harmony with the baboons and enjoy having them here. Our neighbouring villages have chosen another way.
There are far fewer baboon-human incidents occurring in Rooi Els than in Pringle Bay, despite our baboon troop presently being double the size. So it seems to me that our way is working.
It is not easy. Of course,we have frustrating and sometimes infuriating incidents, and for those of us who are trying to run people-based businesses, it can be challenging. But, we live in a uniquely beautiful place, in a Conservancy with a noble Vision, in a Biosphere Reserve. TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE IT WORK!
Thank you to every Rooielser for making our village special. We have managed baboon-human interactions remarkably well for more than a decade now. As far as I know, we are the only village in the Western Cape
that has achieved this. If we continue to work together, with perseverance, patience, humour and understanding, we will continue to make it work.
Jenny
Dr JH Stark, PhD,
Rooi Els Conservancy
Tel: 028-273-8961
Cell: 082-896-8152
Website: www.wonderlingsbandb.com
Email: jenny@wonderlingsbandb.com