Background

In March 2019, the Overstrand Municipality (OM), CapeNature, and the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP) signed a Compactum in terms of Chapter 4 of the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act, 2005 (Act 13 of 2005).

The Compactum was established to help the three organisations work together to deal with baboons that cause damage or become a nuisance in the Overstrand Municipal area, and to manage their presence. As part of the agreement, they developed a Strategic Baboon Management Plan (SBMP) to guide the management of local baboon troops. The programme began on 1 July 2020 and has been extended until January 2026.

The management practices are based on peer-reviewed scientific articles, the successes of other wildlife management companies, and CapeNature’s Guidelines for Baboon Management, all of which are available online.

The Overstrand Municipality holds all the required CapeNature permits to implement the management plan, including approval for the use of all necessary tools and noise exemptions to carry out noise deterrent measures.

The general summary of the Strategic Baboon Management plan is to keep the troop out of town for as long as possible. This does not mean moving them just outside the edge of town. Successful management requires a buffer zone, typically 200 to 300 metres outside the edge of town, or possibly more depending on the topography, to better prevent their entry. Baboons will however never be moved outside of (displaced from) their natural home-range.

It is important to note that having baboons in town is not in the best interests of residents, their properties and pets, local businesses, or tourism. It is also detrimental to the health and safety of the baboons themselves. Continuous access to unhealthy, sugar-rich human food negatively affects their health and increases the risk of road accidents and conflicts with frustrated residents, which can lead to poisoning or shooting. Therefore, the management practices prioritise, first and foremost, the health, safety, and well-being of the baboons.

Primer, Banger, and Screamer Protocol and Usage

As part of the management plan, different tools are used to keep the baboon troop out of town, including noise deterrents. Primers are ‘claps’ fired from a launcher that set off the banger or screamer. A primer can also be used on its own as a noise deterrent, producing a “bang” sound. These function similarly to blanks or air shots used with paintball markers (once the team’s training is complete). Primers are currently used within town to move the troop along and are much quieter than bangers and screamers.

Bangers and screamers are similar to flares; they are launched straight up into the air, with bangers producing a very loud bang and screamers a loud whistling sound. These may only be used at the urban edge, at a safe distance from the built-up area. Their purpose is to prevent baboons from entering town and to encourage them to move up and over the mountain. No more than three or four may be used at any given time, as overuse reduces their effectiveness. Approval must always be obtained from the team before using bangers or screamers, and weather conditions must be suitable for their use.

For the Voëlklip troop, these measures are applied across their entire range bordering the town, including the mountain ranges near Hermanus Heights, the koppie beside the Fernkloof residential area, and the mountain range adjacent to Voëlklip, stretching from Reservoir Road and 1st Avenue up to 17th Avenue.

Incident Report on Sunday, 17 August 2025

A social media post claimed that bangers and screamers were misused, resulting in a juvenile baboon falling to its death from the cliffs in Voëlklip, Hermanus. These claims have been thoroughly investigated, and the following conclusions were found:

The team acted in accordance with the approved protocols and procedures for banger and screamer use, as set out in the management plan and relevant permits. However, one exception was noted – the location from which a device was launched was too close to the cliff edge (see point 4d below).

• Reports of screamers used in town on Saturday, 16 August 2025
  The claims were investigated, and it was confirmed that no screamers were used in town. Only primers were used to move some baboons out of town. Screamers were used outside of town, above 10th and 11th Avenue near the reservoir dam, to move the troop north and over the mountain. Their use was consistent with the approved management practices and permit conditions.
• Claims of baboons falling to its death on Sunday 17 August 2025

The troop was located on the cliff faces and on top of the ridge of the mountain above 7^th Avenue. This is the correct and perfect position for the troop to be in when it is required to move the troop using bangers and screamers, over the mountain before they come down and into town. This approach is preferable to waiting until the baboons move lower down, which would then require using paintball markers to keep them out of town. The team requested permission, and with favourable weather conditions, permission was granted. The correct number of bangers and screamers was used.  After usage, the troop moved up the cliffs and headed north over the mountain, as intended. This was therefore considered a successful use of bangers and screamers, as the vast majority of the troop did not enter town for the rest of the day (with the exception of a few individual baboons later in the afternoon).

The team did not see any baboon fall to its death. Still, they checked the base of the cliffs on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday as best they could while managing the troop. They found no signs of a dead or injured baboon. The team did see a baboon push a rock off the cliff, which is a normal defence behaviour. This might be what people saw falling (see point 4d below).

Another possibility considered was that a previously deceased juvenile baboon had been dropped. One female had been carrying a long-deceased juvenile for several weeks, which is normal behaviour as females mourn their young. The juvenile died due to infanticide during fights between males, which is also typical behaviour. It was thought this deceased juvenile might have been dropped from the cliff, especially since the female was seen without it on Monday morning. However, the juvenile was later found in a tree near the stream between 8th and 9th Avenue on Monday afternoon, so this was ruled out. The team continues to monitor the entire troop and has found no signs of new injuries or any other deceased juveniles being carried by females.

The team will continue monitoring the troop for any new injuries or deaths and will continue patrolling the cliffs for any signs of a deceased baboon.

Any information that could assist the investigation – such as the location where the juvenile baboon was seen falling or the exact spot along the cliffs – would be greatly appreciated.

• Mistakes
  The investigation yielded the following:
  1. The reckless driving of the driver is not allowed nor acceptable. The matter has been and will continue to be addressed and corrected with the team to ensure it does not occur again.
  2. Swearing in front of the public is not acceptable and is disrespectful. As public servants, respect and professionalism are always required. This behaviour has been and will continue to be addressed and corrected with the team.
  3. The team has thus far only received a single set of uniforms, but even so, team members should always be in full uniform and dressed appropriately as required. Efforts are underway to provide the team with better identifiable conservation uniforms in the near future. Wearing the correct uniform has been and will continue to be addressed and corrected as funding becomes available.
  4. The use of screamers and bangers near the cliff face was implemented correctly and successfully, although the team was a bit too close to the cliffs this time. They should have been positioned a couple of meters down the slope. This close proximity likely caused a rock to be pushed off the cliff as a normal baboon defence mechanism. The correct management practices have been reviewed with the team and will be regularly discussed during toolbox talks to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
  5. In addition, the team has been and will continuously be briefed on the correct usage of tools in general, and the correct implementation of the management practices, for e.g. not using screamers and bangers in town, not overusing tools (as both over-usage and under-usage decreases its functionality), etc.

 Additional points to address

While the report took some time to provide feedback, this was necessary to ensure a thorough and accurate investigation of all the facts.

Given the level of urbanisation and habituation of the Voëlklip troop, methods such as trained field monitors, whistles, clapping, or vuvuzelas do not work effectively on their own. These methods are used as needed but must be combined with tools such as primers, bangers, screamers, gel blasters, and paintball markers.

Further concerns include the fact that rangers in the field often face harsh treatment from members of the public, including spitting, cursing, and even physical aggression. This places significant pressure on the team when responding to such claims, sometimes making them feel as though they have done something wrong when they have not.

Residents are once again urged not to interfere or intervene with the management duties of the team in the field. However, if they observe anything they disagree with, they should immediately report it to the Overstrand Municipality Baboon Hotline on 069 151 5962. Alternatively, they may contact the Project Manager for the Municipal Baboon Management Programme at 028 316 5608 or via email at projectmanagerbmp@overstrand.gov.za