18/06/2026
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ: ๐๐ก๐๐ง ๐๐๐๐จ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ
In ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐, Beauty Without Cruelty South Africa asked what the word โsanctuaryโ means to the public.
Read Article 1 here:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1H2VuA9D25/
In ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐, we asked a deeper question:
Should severely habituated, urban-exposed baboon troops be considered differently from wild, free-ranging troops?
Read Article 2 here:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BbRBJZESo/
Now, in ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐, we move into the welfare reality:
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ง ๐๐๐๐จ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ง ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ ๐๐?
Article 2 showed us that the public does not want simplistic answers.
Some people said urban-exposed troops may need customised welfare solutions.
Others said the baboons were here first, and that humans must change.
Others warned that calling baboons โhabituated beyond returnโ could become a way of punishing animals for human failure.
That tension is exactly why this conversation matters.
Because before any โsanctuary,โ โwildlife facility,โ โurban wildlife centre,โ or management plan is accepted, we must first look honestly at the welfare reality.
๐๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ โ๐๐๐๐จ๐จ๐ง ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ.โ
๐๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ก๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐๐จ๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฌ.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐
Louise Gadney reminded us that baboons were here first, and that human homes, shops, waste systems and barriers must change if baboons are being pulled into urban areas.
Heleen Mills shared a powerful lived experience from Bettyโs Bay, explaining that chasing and shooting can increase stress, split troops, reduce peaceful foraging, and lead to more home invasions because hungry, frightened baboons seek high-energy human food.
Gerry Higgs argued that baboons would rather be in their natural environment, and that they can re-adapt if given the opportunity.
Jamie Pieterse raised a hard moral question: if humans failed to intervene properly years ago, why should baboons now be punished with confinement for becoming habituated?
Rosanne Howarth noted that urbanised baboons need customised solutions.
Paula Lola Giusti reminded us that a baboonโs natural instinct is to be wild and free, foraging, sleeping in trees, swimming, moving, mating, and living as baboons.
She also raised an important point: perhaps there is not one solution, but a combination of corridors, fences, rewilding, food and water restoration, and dignity.
This is the centre of the debate.
๐๐จ๐ญ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฐ๐๐ซ.
๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฆ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง.
๐๐๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ง๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฐ๐๐ซ
A recent public post by Baboon Watch WC raised serious concerns about the alleged use of paintball markers against baboons in the Constantia area.
The post described baboons being chased, a troop being split in different directions, and frightened juveniles allegedly being separated from the safety of the troop and pushed toward traffic.
These are exactly the welfare concerns BWC believes must be taken seriously.
Because if pain aversion causes panic, splitting, stress, danger near roads, separation of juveniles, and intensified fear, then we must ask:
๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ?
๐๐ซ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ก๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ก๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ญ?
Baboons should not be chased into traffic.
Juveniles should not be split from their troop.
Fear should not be used where humane, preventative systems are missing.
If monitors are present, then the public deserves clarity on when, why, by whom, and under what authority pain aversion is used.
๐๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐๐ง๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ง ๐จ๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ
Baboon Management Western Cape recently made an important public point: the adopted Baboon Strategic Management Plan includes both negative and positive management tools.
The negative tools include pain aversion, translocation and euthanasia.
But the positive, humane tools include:
โข strategic fencing
โข baboon-proof bins
โข proper waste management
โข law enforcement against illegal feeding
โข human compliance
โข humane mitigation
โข practical systems that reduce conflict before it becomes crisis
The concern is clear:
๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฒ๐๐, ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ญ, ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฐ๐๐๐ค๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ก๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ซ๐.
That cannot be called harmonious coexistence.
That cannot be called welfare.
That cannot be called conservation.
That is a failing system asking animals to carry the cost of human inaction.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ?
When BWC speaks about welfare, we are not speaking only about whether an animal is alive.
We are asking whether the animal can live with dignity.
Can the troop stay together?
Can mothers protect their young?
Can juveniles stay close to the safety of adults?
Can baboons forage without panic?
Can they move without being chased into roads?
Can they avoid dogs, cars, wires, bins, poisoned food, and human aggression?
Can they live according to their natural behaviour?
Or are they being forced into a daily cycle of fear?
The welfare reality must include more than body count.
It must include stress.
It must include fear.
It must include hunger.
It must include troop splitting.
It must include injury risk.
It must include trauma.
It must include the emotional lives of intelligent, social animals.
๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ข๐๐
BWC rejects the false choice of:
Sanctuary or death.
Confinement or chaos.
Paintballs or no management.
Urban danger or permanent captivity.
There must be a better conversation.
A humane response must ask:
What positive mitigation has actually been implemented?
Where are the strategic fences that were promised or considered?
Where are the baboon-proof bins?
Where is the waste enforcement?
Where are the fines for illegal feeding?
Where are the consequences for people who lure baboons into danger?
Where are the safe corridors?
Where is the public education?
Where is the serious protection of habitat?
Where is the proof that all non-confinement options have been properly exhausted?
๐๐ก๐ ๐ก๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐
This may be the most important point.
It is cruel not to manage the human element.
If people feed baboons, leave waste accessible, build into habitat, fail to secure homes, allow dogs to attack, drive carelessly, or demand removal instead of responsibility, then the system has failed.
And when authorities respond mainly by chasing, shooting, relocating, euthanising, or confining baboons, then the system is treating the symptom rather than the cause.
The cause is human behaviour.
The cause is weak enforcement.
The cause is poor planning.
The cause is delayed mitigation.
The cause is a failure to implement the positive solutions with the same urgency used to implement the negative ones.
๐๐๐โ๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
Beauty Without Cruelty does not support killing.
We do not support cruelty.
We do not support permanent confinement.
We do not support soft language being used to make confinement sound kind.
We do not support pain aversion becoming the default because positive mitigation has failed.
We do not support baboons being blamed for a crisis created by humans.
But we also cannot ignore suffering.
If baboons are in urban danger zones, being hit by cars, attacked by dogs, chased, shot at, split from their troops, fed from waste, electrocuted, or pushed into traffic, then that is not freedom.
That is suffering.
The solution cannot be to normalise baboons in danger.
The solution must be to keep baboons safe, wild, and away from human-created harm through humane, accountable, properly implemented systems.
๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฒ
Beauty is a baboon troop foraging peacefully in natural space.
Beauty is mothers raising young without panic.
Beauty is juveniles learning safely from adults.
Beauty is movement, trees, water, foraging, rest, social bonds, and wild life.
Cruelty is fear.
Cruelty is pain aversion used as a substitute for prevention.
Cruelty is traffic.
Cruelty is dogs.
Cruelty is unsecured waste.
Cruelty is splitting troops.
Cruelty is pushing babies into roads.
Cruelty is calling the baboons the problem while humans refuse to change.
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐
When baboons are being harmed in urban areas, what should be the most urgent response?
๐. Enforce human responsibility: waste, feeding, homes, dogs and bylaws
๐. Implement humane mitigation: fencing, corridors, safe movement and proper monitoring
๐. Release full welfare data and facility plans before any capture or relocation
๐. All of the above
Please answer with ๐, ๐, ๐ or ๐ in the comments.
You are also welcome to explain your answer.
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
If positive mitigation strategies exist in adopted plans, why are baboons still being subjected to fear, pain aversion, urban danger, troop splitting, injury risk and death?
Before any baboon is captured, relocated, confined, or labelled as โbeyond help,โ will the City of Cape Town, SANParks and CapeNature show the public exactly what humane mitigation has been implemented, what has failed, what has not been done, and why?
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ.
๐๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง.
๐๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก.
๐๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฒ.
