Baboons and Monkeys

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some ways to prevent conflict

  • Don’t feed baboons or primates under any circumstances.
  • Ensure rubbish bins are tamper proof.
  • Erect electric fencing around landfill sites and rubbish dumps.
  • Ensure refuse is removed on a regular basis.
  • Ensure entrances, including windows, to buildings housing food matter are permanently primate proof.
  • Use of scare apparatus could be considered.

 

Ways to reduce injury or damage if you confront a baboon or primate

  • Do not get between it and its escape route.
  • Allow it right of way.
  • Do not challenge it.
  • Don’t maintain eye contact.
  • Don’t panic or run, slowly back off.

 

Baboons and Monkeys

BABOONS & MONKEYS DO NOT MAKE GOOD PETS

The words cute, cuddly, intriguing, funny and interesting will often come to one’s mind when watching baboons and monkeys playing in their ‘natural’ environment.

The words pest, invasion, vermin, vicious and scary come into many people’s minds when they confront the same animals in their gardens, homes or farms.

Why the difference in opinion?

Quite simply put is that both baboons and monkeys in the wild have not become reliant on humans for food and shelter and live a life of contentment, eating from natures food basket.

Once man encroaches upon the environment the space available to wildlife is drastically reduced. Their natural foraging areas and food source is then also diminished and they have to seek such in human settlements. This situation as well as well meaning people feeding them, bring them into direct conflict with humans.

For the most part baboons and monkeys don’t want any involvement with humans and would prefer to just be non-human primates doing non-human primate things. Hunger, thirst and adverse human activities displaces them and they have to seek alternative means to survive.

Along with this goes unnatural behaviour traits such as attacks on humans and pets. Scavenging in refuse bins and in kitchens becomes the norm. If cornered they may display aggressive behaviour towards the threat which is normally a human or his/her pet. Aggressive behaviour could take the form of challenging or even physical attack, which could in most cases have been avoided.