Angela Botha, Kommetjie
I address the article about animal activists and animal rights organisation leaders who protested against farmers in the Constantia Valley where the humanitarian Lars Maack is being threatened by them (“Public move in defence of baboons,” False Bay Ech July 19).
Consumers are being asked to boycott businesses on the Klein Constantia and Buitenverwachting farms and a gun is held to the farmers’ heads about the possibility of a court case.
How can this be legal? Lars has taken every precaution to protect staff, guests, residents and domestic animals from baboons.
His measures are eco-friendly in conjunction with SANParks, SPCA, City of Cape Town, UCT, Human Wildlife Solutions (HWS) and Cape Nature.
Managing baboons costs him more than investing in plantings and farm machinery.
Livestock was sold off. His dogs were attacked by baboons and homes raided. Three baboons were professionally removed.
On no account should anyone boycott the farmers, rather support them wholeheartedly against someone whose erroneous theories on the baboons includes that “their food had
been decimated” and that they should therefore “be supplied with feeding stations” and also that the baboons should be “sterilised”, another fallacious idea.
