- Title: SOUTH AFRICA: PROBLEM BABOONS
- Date: 8th April 1997
- Summary: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (APRIL 8, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV CAPE POINT 0.03 2. GV TOURIST WALKING ALONG PATH TO CAPE POINT 0.07 3. LV TOURISTS AND BUSES IN CAR PARK 0.13 4. SLV SIGN PROHIBITING FEEDING BABOONS 0.18 5. SLV/SCU BABOON EATING GRAPES NEAR TOURISTS (2 SHOTS) 0.31 6. SCU TOURIST, ROBIN CHRISTIE SAYS: WE WERE SITTING HERE HAVING OUR LUNCH, WONDERING WHERE THE BABOONS WERE, THE CAR DOORS OPEN, THE BABOON CAME IN, DECIDED TO JUMP INTO THE CAR, GRABBED THE GRAPES AND JUMPED OUT THE OTHER SIDE. HE'S HAVING A VERY NICE MEAL DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD THERE (ENGLISH) 0.47 7. SV TOURIST PAN TO BABOON WITH GRAPES 0.53 8. SV/SCU ZOOM OUT BABOON SITTING ON THE BACK OF CAR 0.59 9. SCU BABOON SITTING ON TOP OF CAR ZOOM OUT BABOON JUMPS FROM CAR AND RUNS ACROSS ROAD 1.11 10. SLV BABOON STEALING PLASTIC FOOD BOX AND RUNS AWAY AND TRIES TO OPEN IT 1.23 11. SLV BABOON STANDING ON CAR BOOT NEAR PEOPLE 1.34 12. SLV BABOON JUMPING FROM VEHICLE / MAN SHOOING BABOON OFF HIS CAR 1.51 13. SLV TOURISTS TAKING PICTURES OF BABOON 1.54 14. SCU CONSERVATIONIST HENRY SLATER SAYS: IF YOU WALK WITH A BAG OR WITH FOOD IN YOUR HANDS, HE'S GOING TO TRY AND SNATCH YOUR FOOD. BUT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE HIM THE FOOD HE'LL GET AGGRESSIVE, BECAUSE HE'S USED TO IT, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE FEEDING HIM ALL THE TIME. THAT'S THE SITUATION HERE. (ENGLISH) 2.13 15. SLV BABOON TAKES FOOD FROM TOURIST AND RUNS OFF 2.23 16. SLV TOURISTS WATCH BABOON WANDERING AROUND AMONG CARS (3 SHOTS) 2.55 17. SLV BABOON RUNNING ALONG ROAD 3.04 Initials S3 P3 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 23rd April 1997 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
- City:
- Country: South Africa
- Topics:
- Reuters ID: LVADJ1ZOZGJYDR0CMSZCGPRNPTJ1
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: - INTRO: At the scenic Cape Point where the Indian ocean meets the Atlantic ocean, baboons, one of the great attractions for tourists, have also become a serious problem for South Africa's Nature Conservation authorities.
Thousands of tourists visit Cape Point each year, often ignoring the danger signs warning against feeding the baboons, and thus unwittingly signing the animals' death warrants.
Aggressive baboons are dangerous and tourists ignore the consequences for the baboons. Once the baboons become too aggressive, Nature Conservationists are forced to kill them.
Nature Conservationist Henry Slater explains the problem: "If you walk with a bag or with food in your hands, he's going to try and snatch your food. But if you don't want to give him the food he'll get aggressive because he's used to it, because people are feeding him all the time." Some of the more regular scavenging baboons have even been given pet-names by the authorities, making it even harder to eliminate them once they become too intimidating.
The Cape Peninsula receives on average 800,000 tourists annually, and most of them are thrilled to see the baboons.
There are seven troops of baboons on the Peninsula and one troop in particular has made the parking lot their feeding ground.
Instead of having to spend all day foraging for food, it's easier to snatch it from unsuspecting tourists or from cars with open doors.
There are five Nature Conservation men on duty each day to chase the baboons away. Nevertheless, unsuspecting tourist Robin Christie had his picnic lunch stolen.
"We were sitting here having our lunch wondering where the baboons were, with our car doors open, " Christie said. "A baboon jumped into the car, grabbed our lunch and ran out the other side."
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