Cape Peninsula’s Cruel and Inhumane Baboon Management Plan

LionExpose
Nov 25
3 min read

Updated: Nov 26

Current estimates suggest that only 600 baboons remain in this vast area.

The City of Cape Town along with Sanparks and Cape Nature have imposed strict

population caps on our beloved, iconic baboons:

Northern area – up to 250 individuals

Southern region – up to 175 individuals

Cape of Good Hope Section (SANParks) – 100 individuals (not included in the managed limit)

The Cape Peninsula Baboon Management Action Plan (CPBMAP) is a coordinated,

multi-agency framework developed by the City of Cape Town, CapeNature, and SANParks

to address long-standing human–baboon conflict in parts of the Western Cape.

Implementation is planned for February 2026.

Thousands of people who advocate for coexistence with baboons have been silenced in

favour of a small group of privileged individuals who prefer the concrete jungle.

The plan could easily be interpreted as an essentially disguised lethal-control

management strategy.

Baboons may be killed for various reasons - including simply crossing a fence.

This situation has escalated after years of social-media reports, and includes aggressive

confrontations and personal attacks between baboon haters and activist volunteers.

Grassroots activists have rightly highlighted the cruel and inhumane paintballing technique,

which is actually designed for simulated war games...

Baboons have also been executed in broad daylight.

The City’s true colours have been evident for some time: there is no intention of living in harmony with nature.

The chaotic environment created by social-media-driven infighting among activist baboon

groups has allowed the authorities to “close the door” on public engagement. Tragically, this

has played directly into their hands and provided perfect cover for harmful policy decisions.

This paralysis comes at enormous cost to the welfare and long-term survival of a baboon

population now confined to fragmented, shrinking habitat, surrounded by rapid urban

development.

Baboons have roamed this terrain long before any developments existed.

They remain rooted in their territory, underscoring the vital importance of these areas to their survival.

Thousands of people who have supported peaceful coexistence with the baboons have been overruled, stripping away the very fabric of our fragile democracy.

The ideology of this plan is outdated and has no place in a society where iconic animals are going to be driven out, killed, and confined in small Zoo's!

The inclusion of Baboon Waste Management in the report is startling, as this is something any homeowner can manage. Even more worrying is that Baboon-proof bins have been suggested to the City by well-known Baboon advocacy groups, yet never implemented.

Extract from CapeNature’s planned troop-management framework

Northern Troops

Zwaanswyk Troop (ZW)

Monitored monthly for births, deaths, immigration, emigration, troop size, habituation levels, health alerts, and general movements. Field rangers will conduct fence patrols and maintain monitoring.

Tokai Troop (TK)

Monthly reporting, snare patrols, and fence maintenance along range boundaries. Human presence and aversive conditioning to be carefully managed.

Mountain Troops 1 & 2 (MT1 & MT2)

Same monitoring and management approach as above.

Constantia Troops (CT1 & CT2)

Managed alongside the new northern fence. These troops are captured and released on the mountain side. If they breach the fence or fail to settle due to limited habitat, “humane euthanasia” may be applied.

Southern Troops

Slangkop Troop (SK)

Strategic fencing is a priority. Monthly reporting covers troop dynamics, health alerts, and general movement. Rangers actively manage the troop to maximise time away from urban areas.

Groot Olifantsbos Troop (GOB)

Confined within Table Mountain National Park and monitored via tracking collars. Minimal interference.

Plateau Road Troop (PR)

Kept as wild as possible; minimal ranger interaction except for welfare concerns. Baboon-proofing of power poles has been implemented.

Smitswinkel Bay Troop (SW)

Prevented from entering Simon’s Town; monitored via collars. Minimal interference.

Seaforth Troop (SF) & Waterfall Troop (WF)

Planned relocation to a purpose-built baboon sanctuary on private land in Plateau Road. The initial enclosure is only 1.5 hectares, extremely small compared to their natural range.

Baboons are cage-trapped, health-assessed, and healthy males are vasectomised before release.