In a development that has raised serious concerns, a leading campaigner who has publicly objected to the City of Cape Town’s proposal to capture and confine wild baboons, has been threatened with legal action should she continue speaking out.
Animal Survival International (ASI), a leading animal welfare organisation, has raised concerns that legal action may be being used to discourage public opposition to the proposal. This is after a member of the Cape Point Baboon Trust was served with a cease-and-desist letter by lawyers acting on behalf of the private landowner where the enclosure is intended to be built.
ASI warns that the use of legal pressure against concerned citizens marks a dangerous turning point in conservation decision-making, where public participation and scientific debate are being suppressed rather than encouraged.
“This is not just about baboons,” said Luke Barritt, campaign director at ASI. “This is about the right of communities, scientists and civil society to speak openly when wildlife and public resources are at stake. We cannot allow the decision makers to silence people who have the best interests of animals at heart.”
ASI stands firmly with the Cape Point Baboon Trust and all members of the public who are raising legitimate concerns about the proposed enclosure. Conservation outcomes succeed through transparency, evidence and public engagement; not through fear and legal threats.
The City of Cape Town and CapeNature now face a defining choice: pursue a short-term, high-risk intervention or set a global gold standard for ethical, science-led management of human-wildlife conflict in an urban environment.
Biologist and scientific researcher Savannah Anderson stressed the need for principled decision-making: “Conservation measures are never easy to implement. However, we must follow the line of action that truly serves the long-term interests of the baboons and the people who live alongside them. That is the only path to sustainability for future generations.”
The Cape Peninsula Baboon Strategic Management Plan explicitly recognizes the importance of fencing, waste management and coexistence-based strategies over extreme containment measures. ASI urges authorities to honor both the spirit and substance of this plan.
“This moment calls for leadership, not intimidation,” ASI said. “Priorities must be reframed back to the baboons and the broader community and away from private entities and expedient solutions.”
The Cape Point Baboon Trust will host “Boogie for Baboons”, a public fundraising and awareness event, on Sunday 25 January at the Brass Bell, Kalk Bay. Tickets are available on Quicket, with further details to be shared via ASI’s social media platforms.
Media Contact:
Liryn de Jager
liryn@networkforanimals.org
