Town forms committee to deal with baboons

Zim Now Writer

Gwanda town has formed a special committee to deal with baboons as the marauding primates are endangering lives and destroying property.

“A meeting was held at provincial level where the Minister of State for Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Dr Evelyn Ndlovu raised concern over attacks by baboons on humans. From that meeting, we agreed that we should meet as Gwanda District stakeholders involved in environment management to come up with a solution to try and manage the menace of baboons,” said the principal administrator in Dr Ndlovu’s office, Thulani Moyo.

“We met as stakeholders and resolved that we should start mobilising resources for the construction of cages to capture the baboons. We also put in place a steering committee that will be monitoring and reviewing progress in managing the baboon menace. We haven’t had such a committee before,” Moyo said.

The committee comprises representatives from the DDC’s office, ZimParks, Ministry of Health and Child Care, Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, local authorities, Environmental Management Agency, learning institutions, ZRP and the business community.

Moyo said in the short term, ZimParks will be carrying out a capturing exercise with the business community being encouraged to acquire cages for the purpose.

“We need a continuous mitigatory measure. The problem which has escalated is linked to climate change where baboons are now searching for food in towns because of limited food and water supplies in the bush. This is a phenomenon that we might have to manage for a long time because it’s impossible to eliminate the baboons completely,” he said

A woman in the town recently had to give chase to a male baboon that had snatched her 18 month old son. The boy suffered injuries from deep bites by the baboon.

The baboons have also caused disruption and destruction on orchards, gardens and poultry production.

Earlier in the year Zim Parks deployed rangers to try and deal with baboons in Ward 1 and 2 of Gwanda town.