Plea for solutions as baboons cause havoc while residents have to pick up the tab
Cape Town - Dogs being scalped or injured and property being destroyed or damaged by baboons has left owners having to claim thousands from insurers or pay for bills out of their pockets, while the Cape Peninsula Baboon Management Joint Task Team say they are aware of the costs incurred.
Kommetjie residents, who are frustrated over the baboon attacks, have rallied together virtually this week, calling for a solution.
One resident, Janice Mathlay, said her dog Lila, had been scalped by a baboon which had entered their home last month and that the family had been forced to euthanise their pet. She said more animals had been attacked in recent months.
She said several residents were not able financially to pay for veterinary bills or had insurance policies and had to pay for damages out of their pockets.
“My sister was preparing to run an errand and she always took our dogs with her and had to use the loo and her dog Lila was lying on the bed.
“She heard a loud thud and the baboon had come into the house and walked past her and began attacking Lila. My brother-in-law tried to get the baboon away from the dog and was covered in blood.
“When I arrived at Tears, I said I wanted to see her, and she had been scalped. I had worked for animal welfare for years and this was the worst sight I had ever seen, I just wanted to hold her. She was degloved, her eye ripped out and scalped.”
Janice, who has lived in Kommetjie her whole life, said there had been a change in recent months in the pattern and behaviour of the baboons.
“I had asked residents in the last weeks whether they had incidents where their pets were attacked and they said they were left with vet bills.
“They sent me pictures of their animals and their damaged property, including vehicles.
“We have lived for years with the baboons; we just want a solution.”
This week, Santam confirmed that clients were covered by up to 2% if damages were caused by wild baboons or wild monkeys. “Damage caused by wild baboons or wild monkeys is covered under both house contents
as well as the building up to 2% of the insured amount for the standard offering. However for the executive offering this can be covered up to the sum insured of the house contents or building,” said Marius Kemp, head: personal lines at Santam.
Cape Peninsula Baboon Management Joint Task Team (CPBMJTT) said they had received queries from residents after being left with unforeseen costs due to the baboon invasions, and advised residents to take precautions to protect their homes.
“We do from time to time receive emails from residents about incursions onto their properties, some of which include damages,” he said.
“We advise these residents to take the necessary precautions to protect their homes, and to also make their erven less attractive to baboons who are most often after easily-accessible food sources.
“Communities in baboon-affected areas should baboon-proof their properties as far as possible so baboons cannot enter their homes through windows and doors.”
A male baboon made headlines this month after it went walkabout in the Southern Suburbs before it was safely captured.
Tears Animal Rescue’s Mandy Store confirmed the incident.
An insurance claim which was shared with Weekend Argus by a resident who asked not to be identified showed a bill of more than R27 000 for damage to his vehicle caused by a baboon.
Jenni Trethowan, of Baboon Matters, said she had shared an open letter from Kommetjie residents after more than 300 of them took to Facebook expressing their frustration.
“I do not think there is any merit in debating the idea that ‘the baboons were here first’; the point is that we are all here now and how do we best manage the situation now?
“Our goal was clear: we wanted to keep the baboons out of town for as much time as possible and achieved that with our fabulous team of monitors.
“Our message to residents was to help keep the baboons out of town by making sure there were no easy food rewards so if the wily baboons outwitted the team and did come back to the village they wouldn’t get food rewards – mainly found in garbage bins.
The CPBMJTT, comprising representatives from SA National Parks, CapeNature and the City of Cape Town, said options were being initiated to enable a presence of baboon rangers during the upcoming transitioning period. They said the CPBMJTT would be established next month.
In June this year, they hosted engagements with communities and a report back will commence on December 31 this year.
genevieve.serra@inl.co.za