Council hires hunter to kill baboons

Chronicle Reporter
October 26, 2009



THE Hwange Local Board has hired a professional hunter to track down and kill baboons that are causing havoc in residential suburbs, the board’s technical committee chairman, Councillor Andrew Mupande, has said.
In an interview, he said following complaints from residents that baboons were now a menace, as they break into houses to steal food, the board approached the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority to deal with the problem.
“We spoke to national parks and they said we should look for a hunter. We looked for a licensed hunter,” he said.
However, since the hunter started tracking them down, no baboon has been killed and Mr Mupande said this could be due to their survival instincts. “The problem is he can't locate them. None has been shot so far,” he said.
Residents said last year there was no problem with baboons, as most households did not have food.
However, with the improving economy and the ready availability of food, troops of baboons have descended in the Hwange Local Board’s residential suburbs of Baobab, Empumalanga and Chibondo scavenging for food.
“The baboons are coming into houses, breaking windows and stealing food,” he said.
Clr Mupande said the animals had no respect for women and children from whom they sometimes snatch food. "They look down on women and children. Sometimes they snatch food from them,” he said.
During a drive in Empumalanga, a Chronicle news crew witnessed baboons jumping over brick and precast walls into houses.
According to notices in the town, residents were advised not to panic should they hear sounds of gunfire, as a hunter would be hunting down baboons.Hwange town is surrounded by a national park teeming with wildlife.

How dare those baboons have no respect for women and children and look down on them!! That has to be the height of arrogance! Hey, give me a chance to teach them a lesson or two!

Well seeing as baboons are such smart creatures maybe they are only copying what the local population has done to the rest of the country thanks to Roberts leadership

quote:

thanks to Roberts leadership

Maybe they work for Bob

No food, no problem. I guess there's the solution.
Grizz

Being a one time hunter to Africa (Zimbabwe, Chirisa District) I don't have much standing but I'll put in my two cents anyway. Every time I saw baboons close up, I had an overwhelming desire to shoot them. I viewed them like hyenas and crocs - I would have been happy to contribute to their extinction by doing my small part.