PUBLIC PRESSURE FINALLY LEADS TO THE REMOVAL OF INTRUSIVE AND CRUEL BABOON COLLARS 

In May 2025 over 70 animal protection organisations supported a letter to the Overstrand Municipality urgently requesting that the collars that had been on some of the Hermanus baboons for years, be removed. 

The EMS Foundation even made a generous offer to fund the removal of the inhumane tracking collars fitted to baboons in Hermanus. These requests fall on deaf ears. These collars were no longer transmitting data but left a stark reminder of outdated management practises and cruel devices for everyone living in or visiting Hermanus to bear witness to.  Despite what has been said, these collars are not in line with best practices for the wellbeing and welfare of non-human primates. 

The need to remove the brutal collars was again emphasized at a well-attended public meeting held organised by civil society at the Marine Hotel on the 3rd November 2025. 

Lawyers acting on behalf of the EMS Foundation also remained in constant communication with the Overstrand Municipality with regard to the removal of these obtrusive and unnecessary devices. 

The protection of the vulnerable Chacma baboon species in the Overstrand is extremely important to the EMS Foundation. We rely upon the expertise of ecologists, zoologists, primatologists, economists and environmental lawyers as well as the collection of extensive and real-time data on baboon behaviour and management methodologies in the Overstrand.

We are relieved to announce that the Overstrand Municipality finally initiated the process of removing the collars from the baboons, two collars have been successfully removed.  There are two remaining collars that need to be removed.

Image Description: 18 November 2025, female baboon resting minutes after the undergoing a procedure to have the collar removed.

Image Credit: Kogelberg Village Environmental Trustees

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