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AUTHORITIES IN CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA ARE KILLING OUR MAGNIFICENT CHACMA BABOONS.
Debby Z.
started this petition to
ALAN WINDE , GEORDIN HILL LEWIS AND ERNST BAARD.
Cape Chacma baboons have lived in the Cape for at least a million years – long before any of our ancestors got here. Their movement corridors have shrunk due to development and their existence has now reached a critical stage. The urban edge conflict is excessive as they have very little space to manoeuvre.
Our authorities have criminalised their behaviour and given them “rap sheets” which ultimately end in their killing. The troops are harassed and chased daily and endure being shot with paintball guns and scared off with bear bangers if they are “seen to be misbehaving”.
These magnificent animals, Papio ursinus, are from the Old World Monkey family. They can live to the ripe age of 30 years, yet our magnificent males are not making it past 6 or 7 years of age. It is a travesty that they are not properly protected. We expect in the next decade or two, that if nothing is done, these animals will no longer exist and our ecosystems will fail.
WE APPEAL TO THE AUTHORITIES FOR THE FOLLOWING: ALAN WINDE – PREMIER OF WESTERN CAPE, GEORDIN HILL LEWIS – MAYOR OF CAPE TOWN, ERNST BAARD – CAPE NATURE ·
We want a MORATORIUM ON THE KILLING of the baboons in the Western Cape. ·
All interested parties MUST COME TOGETHER and a new way forward MUST BE been planned. ·
Old protocols and management guidelines MUST BE REASSESSED AND OVERHAULED.
Alternatives for paintball guns, bear bangers and constant harassment of the troops have to be found. ·
There needs to be MORE EMPATHETIC approach to managing the baboons – we have to preserve our ecosystems for our future existence. ·
PhD’s and any academic studies done must take the wellbeing of the baboons and the surrounding environment into account and should not be to their detriment. ·
Affected Cities and or municipalities need to AMEND OR PASS BYLAWS to ensure that residents live responsibly in an area that abuts a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Bins need to be baboon proofed and fruit and vegetable gardens must be secured. ·
BABOONS MUST BE PROTECTED and not criminalised for normal baboon behaviour. Behaviour change is required from residents.
THE MEETING OF ALL INTERESTED PARTIES TO WORKSHOP THE CURRENT PROTOCOLS AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES MUST HAPPEN ASAP. ·
Geordin Hill Lewis as the new Mayor of The City of Cape Town – you have the power to do this. · Perhaps you are the Mayor that will finally "hear" us.
Alan Winde , Premier of the Western Cape – we expect the new protocols to be rolled out throughout the Western Cape. ·
Ernst Baard, Cape Nature – no more killing permits for baboons in the Western Cape until a new way forward has been found and implemented.
It is outrageous that baboons are “protected” yet you can kill one a day according to WC Government Annual Hunting Notice. ·
No more killing.
THE TIME FOR CHANGE IS NOW. We have been asking for this for 10 years and during this time 80 magnificent baboons have been killed under the baboon management protocols.
Results published are never transparent and have not been scrutinised so the figures reported by the service provider have never been authenticated.
Conservation has evolved. We are fast moving towards the 6th mass extinction and there has to be a concerted effort to protect the wildlife and ecosystems that still exist. The old ways no longer work and are no longer acceptable.
We need a more holistic approach and not the old pragmatic way. We are all interconnected and our baboons have every right to be here.
We need to be able to live harmoniously with them.
The City of Cape Town and the Overstrand should not be winning any tourism awards – how can you sign an International Tourism Charter and in the same breath you are killing wildlife because they deemed an inconvenience to residents.
It’s very important that tourists know what is happening in the Western Cape. It is vital that they make an informed decision as to where they spend their hard earned tourist money.
Eco tourism is very important, however we cannot hide nasty little secrets.
To the readers of this petition – we would really appreciate your help. Please sign and share this petition with as many people as you can.
As South African citizens and Western Cape residents, we have tried so hard to make calls for change, but government officials are not willing to see us as anything more than just “emotional activists” despite having made factual and practical solutions to deal with the baboon situation. Organisations such as BAT, Baboon Matters, EMS and Baboons of the South have all called for this meeting. We have all been ignored.
We now need global pressure and honestly we need to shame all those involved in baboon management namely; the City of Cape Town, SANPARKS (who are the actual custodians of our wildlife), Cape Nature as well as those scientists who consult for the City of Cape Town.
It is imperative that all interested parties get together and look at new innovative ideas, alternative solutions and take other views and opinions into consideration to find a way forward that doesn’t criminalise animals.
Thank you for reading. Please sign and share.
Debby Zuanni
#stopkillingourbaboons
#shameonyoucityofcapetown
#nomoretourismawardscityofcapetown
#shameonyoucapenature #shameonyouSANPARKS
#shameonyouiCWild
These magnificent animals, Papio ursinus, are from the Old World Monkey family. They can live to the ripe age of 30 years, yet our magnificent males are not making it past 6 or 7 years of age. It is a travesty that they are not properly protected. We expect in the next decade or two, that if nothing is done, these animals will no longer exist and our ecosystems will fail.
WE APPEAL TO THE AUTHORITIES FOR THE FOLLOWING: ALAN WINDE – PREMIER OF WESTERN CAPE, GEORDIN HILL LEWIS – MAYOR OF CAPE TOWN, ERNST BAARD – CAPE NATURE ·
We want a MORATORIUM ON THE KILLING of the baboons in the Western Cape. ·
All interested parties MUST COME TOGETHER and a new way forward MUST BE been planned. ·
Old protocols and management guidelines MUST BE REASSESSED AND OVERHAULED.
Alternatives for paintball guns, bear bangers and constant harassment of the troops have to be found. ·
There needs to be MORE EMPATHETIC approach to managing the baboons – we have to preserve our ecosystems for our future existence. ·
PhD’s and any academic studies done must take the wellbeing of the baboons and the surrounding environment into account and should not be to their detriment. ·
Affected Cities and or municipalities need to AMEND OR PASS BYLAWS to ensure that residents live responsibly in an area that abuts a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Bins need to be baboon proofed and fruit and vegetable gardens must be secured. ·
BABOONS MUST BE PROTECTED and not criminalised for normal baboon behaviour. Behaviour change is required from residents.
THE MEETING OF ALL INTERESTED PARTIES TO WORKSHOP THE CURRENT PROTOCOLS AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES MUST HAPPEN ASAP. ·
Geordin Hill Lewis as the new Mayor of The City of Cape Town – you have the power to do this. · Perhaps you are the Mayor that will finally "hear" us.
Alan Winde , Premier of the Western Cape – we expect the new protocols to be rolled out throughout the Western Cape. ·
Ernst Baard, Cape Nature – no more killing permits for baboons in the Western Cape until a new way forward has been found and implemented.
It is outrageous that baboons are “protected” yet you can kill one a day according to WC Government Annual Hunting Notice. ·
No more killing.
THE TIME FOR CHANGE IS NOW. We have been asking for this for 10 years and during this time 80 magnificent baboons have been killed under the baboon management protocols.
Results published are never transparent and have not been scrutinised so the figures reported by the service provider have never been authenticated.
Conservation has evolved. We are fast moving towards the 6th mass extinction and there has to be a concerted effort to protect the wildlife and ecosystems that still exist. The old ways no longer work and are no longer acceptable.
We need a more holistic approach and not the old pragmatic way. We are all interconnected and our baboons have every right to be here.
We need to be able to live harmoniously with them.
The City of Cape Town and the Overstrand should not be winning any tourism awards – how can you sign an International Tourism Charter and in the same breath you are killing wildlife because they deemed an inconvenience to residents.
It’s very important that tourists know what is happening in the Western Cape. It is vital that they make an informed decision as to where they spend their hard earned tourist money.
Eco tourism is very important, however we cannot hide nasty little secrets.
To the readers of this petition – we would really appreciate your help. Please sign and share this petition with as many people as you can.
As South African citizens and Western Cape residents, we have tried so hard to make calls for change, but government officials are not willing to see us as anything more than just “emotional activists” despite having made factual and practical solutions to deal with the baboon situation. Organisations such as BAT, Baboon Matters, EMS and Baboons of the South have all called for this meeting. We have all been ignored.
We now need global pressure and honestly we need to shame all those involved in baboon management namely; the City of Cape Town, SANPARKS (who are the actual custodians of our wildlife), Cape Nature as well as those scientists who consult for the City of Cape Town.
It is imperative that all interested parties get together and look at new innovative ideas, alternative solutions and take other views and opinions into consideration to find a way forward that doesn’t criminalise animals.
Thank you for reading. Please sign and share.
Debby Zuanni
#stopkillingourbaboons
#shameonyoucityofcapetown
#nomoretourismawardscityofcapetown
#shameonyoucapenature #shameonyouSANPARKS
#shameonyouiCWild
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