Cape Town Resident Shoots Juvenile Baboon: SPCA Investigation Underway

This story follows an investigation by the Cape of Good Hope SPCA into the disturbing incident on Tuesday, 19th September, where a juvenile baboon from the Seaforth Troop was shot by a Seaforth resident. She asserted that the shooting happened in self-defence when three baboons entered and caused havoc in her kitchen. However, the narrative is under question as the SPCA found that a day before the incident the same individual threatened to shoot any entering baboons on a Fish Hoek Community Facebook group post, hinting at a possible premeditation.

The SPCA has retrieved the dead baboon for a post-mortem and a criminal case, under the Animals Protection Act and the Firearms Control Act, has been filed against the perpetrator at the Simon's Town Police Station.

The Seaforth Troop, initially a splinter of the Smitswinkel Bay Troop, was formed by a male baboon 'Van Damme'. Despite the City of Cape Town and CapeNature's attempts at encouraging the public to consider relocating Van Damme to a sanctuary off the Peninsula, no propositions were presented. Eventually, with Van Damme's humane euthanisation in February this year, the baboons set up residence in the Seaforth area, causing frequent incursions into urban territories and leading to property damages and escalated human-baboon interactions.

The sudden stop in the monitoring activities by the City in June 2023 has allegedly contributed to this scenario. The SPCA noted an alarming uprising in the troop's injuries and fatalities and an outcry from the community at the City's decision. Remaining vigilant but compassionate towards the wildlife is what the SPCA urges the public to do and encouraged the reporting of any forms of cruelty towards the baboons by contacting their Inspectorate Control Room.