Guidelines for Coexisting with Baboons in Rooiels
extracted from the Baboon Indaba Discussion Document. Go to the Baboon page for more information and also for Tips for Protecting Your Home
Minimizing and managing waste
Baboons are attracted by food. Unsecured public and private waste bins in Rooiels continue to be a problem.
Options for action for home owners for effective wase management include the following:
Options for action for builders, home owners and residents to baboon proof homes include:.
Building measures
Encountering baboons in nature
extracted from the Baboon Indaba Discussion Document. Go to the Baboon page for more information and also for Tips for Protecting Your Home
Minimizing and managing waste
Baboons are attracted by food. Unsecured public and private waste bins in Rooiels continue to be a problem.
Options for action for home owners for effective wase management include the following:
- Ensure outside bins are baboon proof or take your waste elsewhere.
- Ensure baboon-proof bin is firmly attached, cannot be overturned and is baboon proof. Baboon proof bins are obtainable from [information to be added].
- Consider separating waste and take recyclables (plastic, glass, metal and paper) and other waste to Pringle Bay. Overstrand Municipality is expected to start a recycle waste collection system from Rooiels again but no dates have been given.
- Support the new initiative for a 3 Villages organic waste collection service [add link].
- If waste is stored the container needs to be sealed and in a safe place (e.g. inside a garage and not outside).
Options for action for builders, home owners and residents to baboon proof homes include:.
Building measures
- Add clear bars to windows with spacing less than 7 cm.
- Limit window openings using commercially available devices/locks.
- Ensure that Trellidoors are baboon proof with gaps <7cm (same for shutters).
- Use extra-strength mesh-sliding doors to allow light and air come through while keeping baboon and other wild animals (e.g. snakes) out.
- If building a new house, consider providing internal access from your garage to unload your car.
- Take into account vulnerability of external features that can be damaged (e.g. roofs, gutters).
- Keep unprotected doors and windows closed and locked.
- Store food in closed places where the baboons cannot see it.
- When eating outside, it is better to serve inside to reduce the food on display.
- Lock car doors as baboons can open doors and climb into the car to search for food.
Encountering baboons in nature
- Don’t walk around carrying food. If walking with food from the shop, or to the beach, put it into a backpack.
- Remain calm – provided you have no food on you the baboons will just ignore you.
- Don’t purposefully get too close.
- It is not good for the baboons or for coexistence if baboons access human food. But if you are in that situation – then you must let the food drop and move away.
- If walking with your dog (dogs have to be on leashes at all times) provided the dogs do not chase them, they will be ignored by the baboons.
- Remain calm. Be sure that the doors/windows are secure to prevent entry.
- If you are sitting out there and the baboons come, provided the doors into the house are secure, just sit quietly. They will move away when they don’t see food.
- If you have food outside with you – take the food inside.
- Lift and display a walking stick, before they reach the door or even the veranda.
- If you are having a meal, throw a cloth over the food to conceal it.
- Stay calm and allow the baboon to keep whatever food is in its hands. If you panic, you may panic the baboon and it may defecate.
- Remove your dogs and keep them calm.
- Allow the baboon to take whatever it may have, then raise your arms and chase it out but don’t scream.
- Provide an exit route for the baboon (preferably the way they came in). Firmly encourage it to leave. No!
- Be seen to be in control. Baboons read body language and react accordingly.
- If the baboon bares its teeth (” fear grimace”), it is scared. Continue to chase it out.
- If the troop is in your house and you become nervous, call someone to assist.
- Under no circumstance should baboons be harmed in any way, including firing crackers at them. They are a protected species in the Western Cape and harm of any kind is illegal.