cape point and baboons

[Unregistered]

How big a threat are the baboons
at Cape Point...???????????

any tips

[oliver]

What I've generally heard mentioned around is that the baboons are never a threat to humans until they get fed. When that happens they can become aggressive towards humans because they will attack them to get food - by association. When certain baboons do become a hazard, however, they are shot by the authorities. This is of course devastating seeing as their existence is already threatened in this region.

From the above I would guess that they do not pose a big threat - I wouldn't recommend going to close though if you do see them around. And feeding them is out of the question.

The irony is is that there are only about 400 baboons left in that region due to the conflict they have had in their co-survival with human settlement.

[assegai]

How big a threat are the baboons
at Cape Point...???????????

any tips

Leave the baboons alone! However if you feel like a baboon give them some food.
Make sure that your medical aid covers baboon bites and take a friend with you to assist after being bitten. You could also take an enemy with you. Maybe your mother in law

[oliver]

Sounds like you've had a run in with some baboons before

[Ming]

British tourist was attacked and bitten by a baboon at Cape Point while her five-year-old son looked on in horror.

Gillian Burgess, 37, and her son, Ellis, were sitting next to their hired car on the Cape of Good Hope Road on Monday afternoon when the baboon attacked, she was bitten on her hip, and her T-shirt was ripped.

Speaking from a relatives home in Kenilworth today, she said she and her son had first noticed the baboon while they were sitting outside the car. It was only a few meters away from them.

She said that when the baboon started moving towards them, she had cautioned her son to get into the car. "I got into the front seat and I heard the back door open, thinking it was my son," Burgess told the Cape Argus.

However, it was not my son,the baboon was in the back of the car.

In the meantime, her son had fled across the road.

Thank God he didn't get knocked over or killed by a car.

got out of the car, petrified as the animal was rooting through all my belongings, camera, purse and rucksack.

I was told by a passing tour bus to open all the doors of the vehicle so that the baboon could escape. My son, at this time, was hysterical.

Burgess then went to retrieve her camera at which point the baboon flew at me and attacked me.

source iol.co.za

[hank freid inn]

I read in one of the travel books that the cape is famous for its baboons, which have been known to entertain the torrent of tourists in unusual ways. Most of the numerous baboons we saw were on their best behavior, except for the apparent male leader of the troop.

[spoiledali]

hi,

I've generally heard mentioned around is that the baboons are never a threat to humans until they get fed. When that happens they can become aggressive towards humans because they will attack them to get food - by association. When certain baboons do become a hazard, however, they are shot by the authorities. This is of course devastating seeing as their existence is already threatened in this region.

I read in one of the travel books that the cape is famous for its baboons, which have been known to entertain the torrent of tourists in unusual ways. Most of the numerous baboons we saw were on their best behavior, except for the apparent male leader of the troop.



tnkx.

[Unregistered]

"Baboons in Cape point are no threat to humans"...my foot. I was there yesterday, those baboons are capable of extreme violence towards humans. It's not personal (I guess it's baboonal), it's just that the territory is theirs and they need food to survive and getting food from humans is effortless. The fact of the matter is that irrespective of all the warning signs "Do not feed the baboons" people have fed the baboons already. The baboons know that humans carry food in their bags and cars, they come looking for it. The tricky part is that they differentiate between men, women and children. They do not fear nor are threaten by women/children at all. At some point we had a serious stand-off with the alfa male and we were three guys in the group. We were the ones doing the defending and the baboons were really charging at us.

Cape point is not child friendly...you better leave them at home or make sure you are a big group. Men must always be visible to the baboons and close to the women. Do not carry pouches/handbags etc then you will be ok, but do not be complaisant those baboons are not your cute cuddly cats you left home.

It's a perfect destination though for "boys to be boys"... if you know what I mean.

[Unregistered]

"Baboons in Cape point are no threat to humans"...my foot. I was there yesterday, those baboons are capable of extreme violence towards humans. It's not personal (I guess it's baboonal), it's just that the territory is theirs and they need food to survive and getting food from humans is effortless. The fact of the matter is that irrespective of all the warning signs "Do not feed the baboons" people have fed the baboons already. The baboons know that humans carry food in their bags and cars, they come looking for it. The tricky part is that they differentiate between men, women and children. They do not fear nor are threaten by women/children at all. At some point we had a serious stand-off with the alfa male and we were three guys in the group. We were the ones doing the defending and the baboons were really charging at us.

Cape point is not child friendly...you better leave them at home or make sure you are a big group. Men must always be visible to the baboons and close to the women. Do not carry pouches/handbags etc then you will be ok, but do not be complaisant those baboons are not your cute cuddly cats you left home.

It's a perfect destination though for "boys to be boys"... if you know what I mean.