The City of Cape Town, SANParks and CapeNature have signed off on a sweeping new Action Plan to manage the Cape Peninsula’s baboon population, including the creation of a dedicated sanctuary, new baboon-proof fencing, a waste-management overhaul and a future Urban Wildlife Management By-law.
The Cape Peninsula Baboon Management Joint Task Team (CPBMJTT) on Thursday confirmed the plan had been finalised following reviews by an independent expert panel and the Cape Peninsula Baboon Advisory Group. The full document is available on the official baboon management website.
Officials say the plan aims to maintain a healthy, free-ranging baboon population with minimal human conflict and reduced reliance on aversive management tools.
Key Interventions
Relocating Troops to a New Sanctuary
A purpose-built baboon sanctuary will be established on privately owned land along Plateau Road.
Seaforth troop: To be relocated by February 2026 after capture, veterinary checks and vasectomies for healthy males. A 1.5-hectare trial enclosure is being constructed and will undergo a six-month assessment.
Waterfall troop: Due to move by September 2026, once additional enclosures are completed and the Seaforth relocation proves successful.
CT1 and CT2 troops: To be released on the mountainside south of Constantia Nek by May/June 2026 once the northern fence is in place. Any baboon, with the exception of dispersing males, that breaches the fence or crosses Constantia Nek will be humanely euthanised.
Northern Baboon-Proof Fence
A continuous barrier designed to prevent baboons from entering urban and farming areas will stretch from Zwaanswyk to Constantia Nek.
- Scheduled for completion by July 2026
- To be financed and maintained jointly by private landowners and the Cape Baboon Partnership.
- Rangers will patrol the fence, and no baboons will be permitted north of the boundary.
Baboon Waste Management Strategy
The City will implement a comprehensive waste strategy to prevent baboons from accessing food waste.
- Rollout of baboon-proof bins in high-impact areas by May 2026
- Tighter controls on residential waste collection, recycling, and composting
- Improved waste management in public spaces, resorts, commercial areas and at facilities run by SANParks, the Navy and Porter Estate
Urban Wildlife Management By-law
A new by-law is set to be gazetted by November 2028. It will:
- Strengthen protections for baboons and other wildlife
- Enforce zero-tolerance for harming, feeding or habituating baboons
- Require baboon-mitigation measures for new developments near baboon habitat
Population Control
Authorities have set maximum population thresholds:
- Northern troops: 250 baboons (currently 234)
- Southern troops: 175 baboons (currently 164)
If populations exceed these limits for longer than six months, officials will reduce numbers through humane euthanasia, prioritising chronically ill, injured or elderly animals.
No new troops will be allowed to establish themselves in transformed areas that require additional ranger teams or fencing.
Reducing Urban Incursions
Regular incursions into the suburbs will no longer be tolerated. Hard boundaries, fencing, rangers and aversion tools will be used to keep baboons out. Infrequent movement by individuals or dispersing males will still be allowed.
Communication systems warning residents of nearby baboons will be expanded, and community education campaigns will be rolled out.
Welfare and Infrastructure Measures
The plan includes:
- Additional water points in fenced areas
- Applications for underground power lines to reduce electrocutions
- Fence designs that allow other wildlife movement and emergency openings during wildfires
- Immediate response protocols for injured animals, in partnership with the SPCA
- Veterinary health assessments for suspected illnesses or behavioural changes
A Balancing Act
The CPBMJTT notes that baboons are a vital part of the Cape Peninsula’s natural heritage, but the peninsula can only sustain a limited number of free-ranging troops. Increased time in urban areas leads to poor outcomes for baboons, from diet-related illnesses to higher rates of injury and death.
The management priority, officials say, is to keep baboons in natural habitats and minimise interaction with human-dominated environments.
The Action Plan will be reviewed regularly, with the next full review scheduled for 2030.
