The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: twyacht on August 29, 2010, 06:33:44 PM
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Gee, I wonder what PETA would do.... ???
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/southafrica/7969313/Drunk-baboons-plague-Cape-Towns-exclusive-suburbs.html
Drunk baboons plague Cape Town's exclusive suburbs
The sun is setting over South Africa's oldest vineyard and the last of the wine-tasting tourists are climbing onto their buses. But one large family group has no intention of leaving – and there is little the management can do about it.
By Jane Flanagan in Cape Town
Published: 7:00AM BST 29 Aug 2010
Groot Constantia, in the heart of Cape Town's wine country, can deal with inebriated holidaymakers – but it is invading baboons which have developed a taste for its grapes that the wine makers are struggling with.
Each day, dozens of Cape Baboons gather to strip the ancient vines – the sauvignon blanc grapes are a particular favourite – before heading into the mountains to sleep. A few, who sample fallen fruit that has fermented in the sun, pass out and don't make it home.
"They are not just eating our grapes, they are raiding our kitchens and ripping the thatch off the roofs. They are becoming increasingly bold and destructive," said Jean Naude, general manager at the vineyard, which is celebrating its 325th birthday this year. Guards banging sticks and waving plastic snakes have been deployed with only limited success, and not even a blast of a vuvuzela, the plastic horn made famous at the World Cup, seems to frighten them.
It is not just the vineyards in South Africa which are under siege, however, but also the exclusive neighbouring suburb of Constantia, home to famous residents including Earl Spencer, Wilbur Smith and Nelson Mandela.
Crisis meetings between animal welfare groups and traumatised locals are struggling to find a workable solution.
"Where there's a mountain, there's a baboon," said Justin O'Riain of the Baboon Research Unit at the University of Cape Town. "As we take up more and more of their land, the conflict increases."
The baboons lived in the mountains of Cape Town long before humans took up residence, but development has forced the unlikely neighbours into increasingly closer contact.
Before laws afforded baboons a protected status a decade ago, troublesome animals were regularly killed or maimed by home owners and farmers. Now around 20 full-time "baboon monitors" are employed to protect them and guide them away from residential areas. It has proved mission impossible. Last week, a 12 year old boy was left traumatised after confronting a troop who had broken into his family home.
Hearing noises from the kitchen, he went to investigate and found the beasts ransacking cupboards. When the child fled upstairs to find his babysitter, three males gave chase and surrounded him as he made a tearful phone call to his mother, while the animals pelted him with fruit.
"When he called me he was terrified. They had him surrounded," said the Constantia housewife, who did not wish to be identified.
Chickens, geese, peacocks and even a Great Dane dog have been killed in recent weeks by the marauding baboons - the males have huge and terrifying canine teeth. Roof tiles, electric fences, orchards and vegetables gardens have been trashed.
"Lunch parties in the garden are now just impossible," a homeowner complained. "It is so unrelaxing. Rather than chatting over our meal, we are looking over our shoulders and bolting the food as quickly as we can before it is stolen. We can't even leave a window open in summer. We are under siege."
In a concession to despairing residents, wildlife authorities have begun collaring baboons identified as "troublesome" and imposed a strict "three strikes" policy whereby animals which repeatedly break into homes are humanely destroyed.
Fourteen year-old William, a large male known officially as GOB03, who had terrorised the coastal suburb of Scarborough for as long as anyone can remember, was the first to fall foul of this controversial rule.
His death last month was greeted with outrage and jubilation in equal measure and dominated the letters pages of the local newspapers for weeks.
Meanwhile, For Sale signs are sprouting up in suburbs with baboon populations. Families which have lived in the same house for generations are giving up, moving away to get away from their animal tormentors.
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(http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/twyacht/Baboon-1.jpg)
I have a humane solution, it's called a 12g Remington 870, or a 30/30 Winchester, or 45 Colt/44 Mag.
The Baboons are already planning protests, for ape rights violations..
(http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/twyacht/Baboon_Rally.jpg)
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There are sooooo many ways to make coments about the new South Africa, but I will resist them all. I will say, the idocy here cannot be the fault of the black majority (although they are probably laughing). Only white liberals could be this stupid. Shoot the damn things! You think if they were doing this in Soweto they'd live long enough to make the papers?
FQ13 who channeling Chris Rock rolls his eyes and says "White people"! ;D
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It's at times like this you have to ask yourself, "What would Buffalo Bill do?"
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We have a policy in my home that any animals that force their way inside, protected or not, are treated to a very humane and theraputic lead enema, with follow up treatments as required. It's just our way of giving back to nature.
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Actually, I like the idea of professional "baboon monitors".
Seriously, I think we should hire these guys, complete with the super loud vuvuzela horns to hang out in the Capitol. When some Representative or Senator said something particularly stupid, some would start blowing the horns while others tried to lead them off the floor with money or hookers. Just like in SA, it might not work, but it would sure be funny to watch. ;D
FQ13 who would start watching a lot more C-Span ;D
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Actually, I like the idea of professional "baboon monitors".
Seriously, I think we should hire these guys, complete with the super loud vuvuzela horns to hang out in the Capitol. When some Representative or Senator said something particularly stupid, some would start blowing the horns while others tried to lead them off the floor with money or hookers. Just like in SA, it might not work, but it would sure be funny to watch. ;D
FQ13 who would start watching a lot more C-Span ;D
Best idea for a Reality Show that I've heard ;D ;D
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One sheet of tin siding= $30.
One aluminum pan, sitting on two bricks, in the center of the sheet of tin, with water and food in it= $10.
One 50' extension cord, with one end clipped with one leg wired to the sheet of tin and the other wired to the aluminum pan= $15.
Watching the baboons lock up and keel over after trying to steal the food from the pan= Priceless.
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When I saw this topic I thought two things right away, "Who let the secret out about Haz" the other is "Is this another article about our Prez."
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When I saw this topic I thought two things right away, "Who let the secret out about Haz" the other is "Is this another article about our Prez."
YOUNG MAN! I'll have you know that I in no way resemble a baboon (other than the drunk part ;) ).
;D
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YOUNG MAN! I'll have you know that I in no way resemble a baboon (other than the drunk part ;) ).
;D
Classic video....don't know if Haz made a cameo appearance or not, but I wouldn't doubt that he's in there, somewhere.....maybe about the 3:20 mark......
;D ;D ;D ;D
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YOUNG MAN! I'll have you know that I in no way resemble a baboon (other than the drunk part ;) ).
;D
Haz is right...he doesn't resemble ANY of that...
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YOUNG MAN! I'll have you know that I in no way resemble a baboon (other than the drunk part ;) ).
;D
I don't know, Haz....all the pictures I've seen of animals, they had bare feet too ;D ;D ;D
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I don't know, Haz....all the pictures I've seen of animals, they had bare feet too ;D ;D ;D
AH....UMM....ERR.....Well.......
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Don't take that crap, Haz! I've heard many bald men say, "God only made a few perfect heads, the rest he had to cover with hair." I guess that can apply to feet and shoes, also. Don't be ashamed of your pedi nudism, let your freak flag fly, brotha! ;D
Swoop
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(http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p78/hazcater/DRTV/bare_feet_in_grass.jpg)
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MMmmmnnnn.... toes.....
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That's pornography to the Amish! :D
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That's pornography to the Amish! :D
I thought this thread was gong to be about Obama in his "home town" environment, after one of his beer meetings :)
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I thought this thread was gong to be about Obama in his "home town" environment, after one of his beer meetings :)
It kind of is. I mean the differences between South Africa and South Florida are that they have better hunting, better wine and actual natural resourses.. Beyond that? I mean what differences? We've both got a corrupt and incompetant government, lousy schools, ridiculous crime rate, and rampaging wildlife that idiots don't want us to kill. Though I will take iguans over baboons any day of the week, drunk or sober. ;D
FQ13
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It kind of is. I mean the differences between South Africa and South Florida are that they have better hunting, better wine and actual natural resourses.. Beyond that? I mean what differences? We've both got a corrupt and incompetant government, lousy schools, ridiculous crime rate, and rampaging wildlife that idiots don't want us to kill. Though I will take iguans over baboons any day of the week, drunk or sober. ;D
FQ13
+1
Those "drunk iguanas" are ruthless. They charge like Cape Buffalo, albeit kinda sideways, and even better when its cold, but A Taylor Made 3Wood, or good sneakers, even a Rodney King edition Mag Lite, works wonders.
(http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/twyacht/iguana.jpg)
::) ;D