Cape Town - The male baboon that recently went on a walkabout through the streets of the southern suburbs has been euthanised after failing to integrate with a troop.
This was revealed by community group, Baboons of the South, after it made enquiries to the Cape Peninsula Baboon Management Joint Task Team (CPBMJTT) about the animal’s condition.
The joint task team consists of representatives from SANParks, CapeNature, and the City of Cape Town.
In a statement, Baboons of the South posted the response they received from the Task Team on their Facebook page.
“The dispersing male baboon (TK67) failed to integrate with any of the available Northern subpopulation troops after a previous capture and return to his natal range and remained lingering in Constantia for months.
"TK67 has been euthanized following deliberation by the CPBMJTT,“ the joint Task Team said.
Two weeks ago, the baboon, named Earl, wandered through Plumstead, Kenwyn, and Lansdowne, where it was eventually darted and taken to safety.
Baboons of the South said existing animal safety guidelines needed to be changed, and urged the Task Team to be transparent and open with updates on the baboons in the Cape.
“This update has a clear and constructive purpose behind it. It is a call to the Joint Task Team to be open, transparent and to communicate about our baboons rather than the public having to ask which leads to anger and frustration, justifiably so,” the statement said.
The Task Team did not respond to questions by deadline yesterday.
Locals, meanwhile, lamented Earl’s passing on Facebook, calling it tragic news as they voiced their disappointment.
Jasmien Barron wrote: “Disgusted ... Soon the future generation will only see a baboon in a museum.”
Gudrun Scott Cleghorn added: “It was never going to go any other way. JTT will pick the baboon population off one by one.”
Jenni Trethowan, founder of Baboon Matters Trust, said she wished authorities would have a better plan for dispersing males.
“Relocated off the peninsula and being given a chance to find a wild troop of baboons in the Cederberg, there are lots of wild places where baboons could possibly go,” she said.
“I’m not going to use the word euthanised because Earl was a perfectly healthy baboon, so there was no need for him to be killed other than there wasn’t a troop for him to go to.”
If everything goes according to plan, the Cape Peninsula Baboon Advisory Group will be formally established next month.
byron.lukas@inl.co.za
Cape Argus