South Africa: Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment addresses issue of baboon management in City of Cape Town

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Various stakeholders have pledged their commitment to finding a lasting solution to the issue on baboon management in the City of Cape Town.

The pledge follows a discussion at the stakeholder engagement in Cape Town led by the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Barbara Creecy who was joined by the City of Cape Town Deputy Mayor, Cllr Alderman Eddie Andrews, SANParks and Cape Nature.

Also in attendance were various interested and affected stakeholders who have committed to ensuring that sustainable solutions to baboon management in Table Mountain National Park, the City of Cape Town and other protected areas are realised.

At this meeting, all three management authorities (SANParks, Cape Nature and the City of Cape Town) agreed:

• to establish a joint Task Team;
• to develop and pursue the development of a sustainable programme for the management of the Chacma baboon population on the Cape Peninsula; and
• that the first meeting of the task team will happen within the next two weeks

Baboons occur naturally in the Cape Peninsula and their numbers have grown over the last few decades.

The residents applauded Minister Creecy for convening the stakeholder engagement and appreciated the spirit of collaboration to address the immediate problem of baboon troops in the area.

SANParks, Cape Nature and the City have agreed to work towards a Memorandum of Understanding to govern Baboon Management in the Cape Peninsula.

Minister urged all the stakeholders to forge a close partnership that will be guided by science and research. This will give us the best outcome.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic Of South Africa: Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.