Baboon rangers secured for December
The Cape Peninsula Baboon Management Joint Task Team (CPBMJTT) consisting of representatives from SANParks, CapeNature, and the City of Cape Town, wants to inform communities from baboon-affected areas that NCC Environmental Services will be providing baboon ranger services during December. Read more below:
The City of Cape Town has appointed NCC through a Request for Quotation process to ensure a presence of baboon rangers from 1 December until 31 December 2024 in an effort to keep troops out of the urban area and in their natural environment as far as possible. Due to limited funding, the number of rangers monitoring the troops during this time will be less than before. As such, residents and businesses are kindly advised to please practise responsible waste management at all times and be vigilant.
The CPBMJTT can confirm that other processes are under way to facilitate the transition to a more sustainable urban baboon programme, which involves communities, as well as the parties to the CPBMJTT.
These processes are:
- To appoint a contractor for a 12-month period, on a month-to-month basis, as an interim solution
- A partnership with a non-profit organisation that can receive grant funding from the CPBMJTT partners, as well as funding, sponsorships and donations from external sources such as affected communities, businesses and the general public as the longer term solution. It is foreseen that the NPO will perform selected operational and other tasks needed in implementing the Baboon Strategic Management Plan.
The CPBMJTT wants to thank affected communities for their ongoing support. We will keep the public informed of our progress in finalising the above processes.
Related News
Western Cape conservation efforts highlighted on World Biodiversity Day
Every year on 22 May, International Day for Biological Diversity (or World Biodiversity Day) is commemorated, and is meant to increase awareness about the many wonders of biodiversity, the numerous threats to it, and more importantly, what we can do to reduce or eliminate these threats. It marks 34 years since the Convention on Biological Diversity (CDB) came into force and reinforces the pledge
The Big Biodiversity Challenge Returns to Inspire Young Eco-Champions
The Western Cape Environmental Education Friends (WCEEF), together with members CapeNature, Western Cape Government, SANBI, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), Nature Connect, SANParks, Working on Fire, the City of Cape Town and the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation, announces the return of its flagship biodiversity competition for learners in grades 6 – 9.
CapeNature urges public not to unnecessarily remove chameleons following Garden Route storms
Members of the public are urged to assist wildlife responsibly following recent severe weather events in the Garden Route, and to avoid the unnecessary removal of chameleons from their natural habitat. Following severe storms experienced in the region over the last two weeks, many trees have lost branches or fallen entirely. As a result, some small animals have been displaced from their natural habitat.
CapeNature hit by widespread flooding, power outages and infrastructure damage
CapeNature is assessing widespread damage across its Protected Areas following several days of severe weather that have affected multiple reserves and surrounding communities through electricity outages, flooding and disrupted road access across the Western Cape. Successive cold fronts brought heavy rainfall, gale-force winds and localised flooding across the Province, resulting in infrastructure damage, blocked routes and disruption to operations.
Western Cape fire season shows record early intensity and significant increase in fire activity
The 2025–2026 summer fire season began with exceptional intensity for CapeNature – official statistics showed a sharp rise in fire ignitions, high temperatures, and a large expanse of burnt areas across the Western Cape. Historically, the fire season is considered to run from 1 October to 31 March. However, activity began as early as September 2025, well before the traditional high-risk period from November onwards.
Wildfires intensify as climate shifts, CapeNature warns in emergency podcast series
CapeNature has released a special series of its acclaimed Green Noise podcast, offering an urgent and deeply human perspective on South Africa’s recent wildfire season. The series has a particular focus on the devastating fires in the Cederberg Wilderness and changing weather patterns. The fire in the Cederberg Wilderness, which ignited on 22 December 2025 along Uitkyk Pass