South African town plans to move baboons into fenced enclosures after years of conflict

The coastal town of Simon's Town, South Africa, has been divided for years over how to handle two troops of chacma baboons that have moved into the area from the slopes near Table Mountain. Roughly 60 baboons spend their days in town and retreat to the hills at night, leading to conflicts with residents.

The city has decided to relocate the troops to enclosures between around 2 and 3.5 hectares, surrounded by electric fences. Male baboons will be neutered, so the troops are expected to die out over the next 20 to 30 years. Gregg Oelofse, a city environmental official, said the move is the best of limited options; the alternative would be to cull the animals. He noted that baboons and people do not do well when forced to live together.

Baboons in Simon's Town climb buildings, break into homes for food, fight with dogs, and rummage through trash. The city employs monitors who use paintball guns and noise-making cartridges to scare them away, a tactic that angers baboon supporters but is meant to prevent a more lethal response by residents. The decision has sparked protests, with some residents holding effigies of baboons in jail cells and vowing to peacefully stop the relocation.

Resident Shirley Windell said she opposes caging and confining the baboons, arguing that coexistence is required and that the city should enforce better food waste management. Primatologist David Gaynor urged the city to build a fence that stops baboons from entering town without fully enclosing them, but officials say that approach will not work for Simon's Town. The conflict has led to vandalism between residents on opposite sides, and mediation sessions have been organized to reduce tensions.