A heartfelt message posted by Baboon Watch WC on Facebook this week has sparked fresh outrage over the treatment of the Cape Town 2 CT2 baboon troop in Constantia, following claims that members of the troop - including mothers with babies - have been hit with paintballs.
The group, which has worked to manage and safely reintegrate the troop into Cecelia Forest since 2022, expressed dismay that their efforts to protect the animals without pain aversion tactics had seemingly been undermined.
'Three years ago, we were told we'd never get them out of the suburbs,' the group wrote. 'Well, guess what? We did - and we did it without using any form of pain aversion.'
According to the post, the CT2 troop was left to roam the Constantia suburbs in April 2022, with residents and conservation groups concerned about potential conflict. Baboon Watch WC says it took determined, round-the-clock efforts to gradually guide the animals back into their natural habitat, with the troop eventually spending up to three consecutive weeks in Cecelia Forest.
But now, the group says that success story is unravelling.