Comments on: Bum's the Word http://blog.sa-venues.com/provinces/western-cape/bums-the-word/ Travel News from South Africa by SA-Venues.com Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:45:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: South Africa Editor http://blog.sa-venues.com/provinces/western-cape/bums-the-word/#comment-168 South Africa Editor Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:11:29 +0000 http://blog.sa-venues.com/?p=1628#comment-168 For anyone who's interested, you can find out more about guided walks with the Baboons by Baboon Matters at: <a href="http://www.sa-venues.com/things-to-do/westerncape/detail.php?id=768" rel="nofollow">Walk With Baboons</a>. This is a truly fantastic project in the Cape and is a must-do for eco-travellers. For anyone who's interested, you can find out more about guided walks with the Baboons by Baboon Matters at: Walk With Baboons.

This is a truly fantastic project in the Cape and is a must-do for eco-travellers.

]]> By: Dave Rattle http://blog.sa-venues.com/provinces/western-cape/bums-the-word/#comment-165 Dave Rattle Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:03:05 +0000 http://blog.sa-venues.com/?p=1628#comment-165 Yes, Peter, it was Jenni Trethowen of Baboon Matters (www.baboonmatters.org.za) who has been managing the baboons for the last 10 years. I and my wife, Annie, have often walked with Jenni and the baboons above Kommetjie - an experience, people say, second only to seeing the Ruandan mountain gorillas. Now I see that Cape Nature have awarded the baboon management contract in a flawed process to Nature Conservation Corporation, an unknown, inexperienced company, no doubt due to the normal bribe or backhander we have come to expect from the majority of our politicians. If you or anybody reading this would like to send Jenni an email of support, I know she'd appreciate it. her email is: jennit@cybersmart.co.za. Thanks for your input, Dave Rattle Yes, Peter, it was Jenni Trethowen of Baboon Matters (www.baboonmatters.org.za) who has been managing the baboons for the last 10 years. I and my wife, Annie, have often walked with Jenni and the baboons above Kommetjie — an experience, people say, second only to seeing the Ruandan mountain gorillas. Now I see that Cape Nature have awarded the baboon management contract in a flawed process to Nature Conservation Corporation, an unknown, inexperienced company, no doubt due to the normal bribe or backhander we have come to expect from the majority of our politicians. If you or anybody reading this would like to send Jenni an email of support, I know she'd appreciate it. her email is: jennit@cybersmart.co.za. Thanks for your input, Dave Rattle

]]> By: Dave Rattle http://blog.sa-venues.com/provinces/western-cape/bums-the-word/#comment-162 Dave Rattle Wed, 29 Jul 2009 09:39:57 +0000 http://blog.sa-venues.com/?p=1628#comment-162 My wife, Annie, and myself have walked with the baboons above Kommetjie on many occasions - usually taken by Jernny Trethowen of Baboon Matters (website: www.baboonmatters.org.za). People who have done it say that walking with the Cape Peninsula baboons is an experience second only to seeing the Ruandan mountain gorillas!! W My wife, Annie, and myself have walked with the baboons above Kommetjie on many occasions — usually taken by Jernny Trethowen of Baboon Matters (website: http://www.baboonmatters.org.za). People who have done it say that walking with the Cape Peninsula baboons is an experience second only to seeing the Ruandan mountain gorillas!! W

]]> By: peter http://blog.sa-venues.com/provinces/western-cape/bums-the-word/#comment-156 peter Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:23:57 +0000 http://blog.sa-venues.com/?p=1628#comment-156 We had the great honour of being taken on a walk with baboons a few years ago. I think it was a lady called Jenny. She was absoloutely fantastic and we never felt threatened at any time. Highly recommended. Peter Cape town We had the great honour of being taken on a walk with baboons a few years ago. I think it was a lady called Jenny. She was absoloutely fantastic and we never felt threatened at any time. Highly recommended. Peter Cape town

]]> By: Dave Rattle http://blog.sa-venues.com/provinces/western-cape/bums-the-word/#comment-99 Dave Rattle Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:05:14 +0000 http://blog.sa-venues.com/?p=1628#comment-99 Grant - you're right - I've had several other really humourous and always gentle experiences with our furry neighbours! Christine - thanks so much for your encouraging message! Stefani - you're quite right! I always think that it should not be a battle: us vs them. If you live or holiday in the Peninsula, baboons are part of the natural order of things - their being here enriches our lives like hearing the dawn chorus or witnessing a guineafowl indaba in the trees as the sun goes down. They are a natural part of everything like the sun and the rain, and if they were removed (sounds like aparthied!) or (worse still) be shot out, living here would be a considerably poorer experience. We should enjoy them, embrace their presence and be glad we have the unique opportunity of interaction at close quarters with one of the only large animals left in nature that doesn't automatically run a mile when they see a human! Grant — you're right — I've had several other really humourous and always gentle experiences with our furry neighbours!

Christine — thanks so much for your encouraging message!

Stefani — you're quite right! I always think that it should not be a battle: us vs them. If you live or holiday in the Peninsula, baboons are part of the natural order of things — their being here enriches our lives like hearing the dawn chorus or witnessing a guineafowl indaba in the trees as the sun goes down. They are a natural part of everything like the sun and the rain, and if they were removed (sounds like aparthied!) or (worse still) be shot out, living here would be a considerably poorer experience. We should enjoy them, embrace their presence and be glad we have the unique opportunity of interaction at close quarters with one of the only large animals left in nature that doesn't automatically run a mile when they see a human!

]]> By: Stefani http://blog.sa-venues.com/provinces/western-cape/bums-the-word/#comment-98 Stefani Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:38:15 +0000 http://blog.sa-venues.com/?p=1628#comment-98 Love this article Dave. So glad to hear someone speaking favourably about the baboons for a change. I couldn't agree more. They're an amazing thing to see (and may not be around much longer) and something we should be protecting, rather than complaining about or trying to get rid of. Baboon numbers around the <a href="http://www.sa-venues.com/game-reserves/wc_capeofgoodhope.htm" rel="nofollow">Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve</a> have dwindled so much in recent years (I believe there are less than 300 now in the area). I know it's a touchy subject for many, with residents frustrated by property damage and conservationists doing their utmost to protect them. Perhaps we should all try to remember that we are invading their territory! Love this article Dave. So glad to hear someone speaking favourably about the baboons for a change. I couldn't agree more. They're an amazing thing to see (and may not be around much longer) and something we should be protecting, rather than complaining about or trying to get rid of. Baboon numbers around the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve have dwindled so much in recent years (I believe there are less than 300 now in the area). I know it's a touchy subject for many, with residents frustrated by property damage and conservationists doing their utmost to protect them. Perhaps we should all try to remember that we are invading their territory!

]]> By: Christine http://blog.sa-venues.com/provinces/western-cape/bums-the-word/#comment-95 Christine Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:34:58 +0000 http://blog.sa-venues.com/?p=1628#comment-95 Thanks Dave, now we know what to do when confronted by a baboon!! Thanks Dave, now we know what to do when confronted by a baboon!!

]]> By: Grant Fortuin GLM Tours http://blog.sa-venues.com/provinces/western-cape/bums-the-word/#comment-93 Grant Fortuin GLM Tours Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:17:33 +0000 http://blog.sa-venues.com/?p=1628#comment-93 Hi Yes to stay near Tokai we also get run in with them and sometimes really funny one's. Hi
Yes to stay near Tokai we also get run in with them and sometimes really funny one's.

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