https://www.iol.co.za/capeargu...31-8376-a6c067f80a05


Conservation groups call for moratorium on trade, hunting and killing of indigenous primates


Published 1h ago



Cape Town - South African laws are failing to protect primates and are not preventing the negative consequences of the country’s so-called legal trade of these species and their body parts.

This is according to the EMS Foundation and Ban Animal Trading SA’s recently released report on their latest investigative research project, which relates to the questionable legal export of live primates and/or their body parts for hunting trophies from South Africa.



The conservation organisations called for a moratorium on the trade, hunting and killing of South Africa’s indigenous primates and the suspension of breeding, trading and keeping of exotic primates as pets.

It said this moratorium should be put into place immediately so that the poorly enforced, indefensible and shameful South African wildlife trade could be re-evaluated.

According to the report, this trade is characterised, among others, by data discrepancies, illegal shipments masquerading as legal exports, untraceable destinations/importers or addresses, absent verification measures, and compliance and enforcement negligence.


It concluded that relevant management authorities were unlawfully authorising and supporting the trade in and killing of South Africa’s indigenous primates.

EMS executive director Michele Pickover described this as a shocking state of affairs. Pickover said that for many years South African environmental authorities – nationally and provincially – had been allowing indigenous primates to be trophy hunted, persecuted and killed without doing proper population counts or having legislation in place to protect them.

“There is enormous suffering as a result, and the viability and health of their families and troops are at stake. They also play an essential role in ecosystems and biodiversity, contributing to regeneration and ecosystem health and providing important functions and benefits such as seed dispersal, pollination and regeneration,” she said.


Pickover said the current regulation and policy relating to the breeding, trade in, keeping, hunting and killing of (non-human) primates was “piecemeal” and did not pay attention to a precautionary approach to risk.

She said the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Barbara Creecy, needed to urgently institute a moratorium on the killing and removal of indigenous primates until the government conducted proper population counts, had a critical mass of scientific data, and put legislation in place to protect them.

mthuthuzeli.ntseku@inl.co.za

So, now Baboons and Vervet monkeys are to be placed on a proposed moratorium list to be banned from being hunted. . . . . . OIA

Never wanted to shoot a primate, except once when one totally spoiled a hunt. But that's another story.

One day in Masailand, we were close to camp around noon and decided to stop into camp for a hot lunch.

It was a fly camp and kitchen was under tarps, not the usual more permanent structure. My PH and I were enjoying a G&T after lunch when there was an incredible commotion in the kitchen. The camp manager ran to where we were enjoying our after lunch cocktail -- out of breath -- and asked if I wanted to shoot a baboon.

Hapana. I left them to their own devices. I wasn't about to shoot a baboon in the kitchen.

CON group is the right word for them!

Bloody stupid, ignorant CONS!

I have shot a number of problem baboons. Shooting problem baboons were some of my favorite hunting experiences, as they were very cunning miscreants until they took a 300 WSM square in the upper chest.

I enjoy shooting those nasty bastards (baboons that is..)

Don't care to shoot any of the other ones...

I have no desire to shoot the higher primates, but baboon and monkeys? The local folks mostly want them exterminated. Don’t know how far this will go in SA court.

The camp robbing baboon was on the short list on my last trip.

The camp wanted it taken care of. As it would sneak in daily to the camp garden and eat its fill of fresh vegetables.

As we would return to camp it would high tail it and be about 1/4 or further away when we at the camp gate.

Baboons are a favorite food of leopards, and a few years ago in Mozambique I shot one for bait. I hit him square in his chest from about 50 yards with my .300 Weatherby that put a good hole in him.

We put him in a plastic bucket and it rode in the back of the truck in 90* F heat all day.

We didn't use it for bait that night, and I shot my leopard that night so we didn't need it, so my PH gave it to his staff.

The next day they cooked and ate it.

I shot one in Zimbabwe for leopard bait on a particular hunt one year and we hung it. In less than a day the baboon carcass was literally semi-liquid and running, dripping and oozing onto the ground. Of course, it was late October into early November, but still......