Baboons matter

Ralph — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 13:59:58 +0000

On the Cape Peninsula there are few people who are neutral towards the local Chacma baboons: you either love them or hate them. The remnant troops of the Table Mountain National Park which now protects a large portion of the peninsula, range from the southern table of Table Mountain down to Cape Point. They form an isolated population surrounded by an urban conurbation in the north-east and the ocean elsewhere. Experts estimate that the 250 or so remaining animals face extinction within 10 years as their habitat shrinks, their gene pool becomes less viable and they suffer persecution from the human inhabitants of the peninsula.A few weeks ago we went “walking with baboons” in the Glencairn area with the guide from Baboon Matters, an NGO that runs a Baboon Monitoring Project. The project aims to prevent conflict between humans and baboons. Baboon Matters is part of a larger Baboon Management Team (BMT) that comprises SA National Parks, Cape Nature, KEAG, the Baboon Research Unit, other NGOs, primatologists, etc. and whose objective is to ensure the long-term conservation of baboons on this beautiful, but contested, sliver of land.

Cape Peninsula baboon distribution (source: Baboon Matters)

Getting close to the Da Gama Park troop as they descended from their roosts to feed was an enlightening and humbling experience. Unconcerned by our presence, they proceeded to play, groom, mate, gather food and noisily sort out a few hierarchical issues. We spent most of the morning with them and our garrulous and informative guide.

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National Geographic recently did a piece on these baboons in which some telling points are made:

Many residents of the Cape see the primate as a pest.

But the founder of Baboon Matters says what many humans forget, is that baboons gave their lives for medical research.

Jenni Trethowan, Founder Baboon Matters “And now where’s the gratitude? People can have heart transplants, and liver transplants and kidney transplants, what do we owe back to the animals that we practiced on for so long?”

My view on the matter is that given that the Cape Peninsula is a national park and world heritage site, if you choose to live there then you should recognise that you are living a) in a fire-driven ecology and b) in proximity to wild animals. This isn’t suburbia in the usual sense; it requires a sense of place, a spirit of custodianship and a willingness to adapt. There will be fires near your house every decade or so. The baboons will come calling – they were there first after all. Adapt your living arrangements to live in harmony with the place and it’s traditional inhabitants.

Cape of Good Hope Trail

Ralph — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 17:04:30 +0000

The Cape of Good Hope Trail starts at the main gate to the Cape Point section of the Table Mountain National Park, and ends there 33.5km and two days later.

Day 1 features a spectacular walk down the False Bay coast. There are commanding views across False Bay and over the peninsula south towards Cape Point. The distance is only about 13km, depending on the route option one takes at Kanonkop. But spend time lingering on the peaks and investigating the shoreline.

Overnight in one of three huts near Cape Point. We stayed in Erica Hut, which was part of the Dias Battery Observation Post in World War II. As you can guess, the views towards the north and west from the hut and the nearby emplacement are unhindered and command the Atlantic coast as well as the peninsula to Table Mountain in the distance.

Day 2 is far longer, about 20.5km. If follows the Atlantic shore and offers none of the rewarding views of day 1. Points of interest at the Hoek van Bobbejaan include ancient Khoi-San shell middens and the wreck of the Phyllisia (1968). When we walked there the area had been scorched and it was hot work. When the veld recovers, the fynbos will offer rich, flowering rewards.

Download the Google Earth trail track, or view the 3D map below:

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Baboons matter

Cape of Good Hope Trail