Council gives City greenlight for partnership with Shark Spotters to assist with baboon management

05 December 2024

Council has approved the proposed partnership with the Shark Spotters to assist with the implementation of the Cape Peninsula Baboon Strategic Management Plan. Given Council’s approval, the City’s Spatial Planning and Environment Directorate can now invite Shark Spotters to enter into this partnership, as stipulated in the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA).

The Cape Peninsula Baboon Management Joint Task Team (CPBMJTT) consisting of representatives from SANParks, CapeNature, and the City of Cape Town has identified the partnership with Shark Spotters as the most suitable mechanism to support the implementation of the Baboon Strategic Management Plan.

This plan envisions a sustainable and wild baboon population living in natural landscapes on the Cape Peninsula, with community partnerships and local solutions as being key to keep baboons wild and reduce human-baboon conflict.

The imminent partnership with the Shark Spotters holds several benefits:

• Being an NPO, the Shark Spotters can receive grant funding from the CPBMJTT partners

• The Shark Spotters can also receive funding, sponsorships and donations from affected communities, businesses, the general public, and local, national and international organisations with an interest in baboon management.

The funds will be used to perform selected operational tasks, such as the provision of baboon ranger services, continuous public engagement and education, and research.

Thus, to summarise:

• The City is committing to contribute R9 million in grant funding to the Shark Spotters in the current financial year; R12 million in 2025/26 and R12 million in 2026/27

• Next, the MoA will be formally submitted to the Shark Spotters for their consideration and signing

• Both SANParks and CapeNature have indicated that once the MoA between the City and Shark Spotters is finalised, they will also make contributions to the Shark Spotters, the details of which will be stipulated in their individual agreements or MoAs with the NPO

• Once the respective MoAs are in place, the Shark Spotters will engage other organisations to develop partnerships, using resources provided by the CPBMJTT partners to attract additional resources, sponsorships and funding from other sources

In terms of the proposed MoA between the City and the Shark Spotters, the grant funding will be available for the following outcomes, amongst others:

• Employment of a field manager and baboon ranger services for stipulated baboon troops, from sunrise to sunset

• Assist in the roll-out of an infrastructure programme to establish hard boundaries between natural areas and the urban environment where suitable

• Implement a baboon population research programme and employ a baboon researcher

• Acquire and maintain the required operational infrastructure and technology to ensure an effective and efficient programme

• Actively engage animal welfare groups, non-governmental organisations, residents associations, authorities, scientists and academic institutions

• Ensure ongoing and regular public updates through the relevant media channels that have been established by the Shark Spotting Programme, and develop new channels as needed

• Respond to reported baboon incidents

• Develop, drive and engage public education and awareness programmes around baboons and the BSMP