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5 ways to deter vervet monkeys and chacma baboons
Vervet monkeys and chacma baboons can cause problems, particularly in the KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape, when they enter residential areas looking for food to eat. There are a few things that you can do to ensure these particular pesky primates don’t get into your neighbourhood, and especially your home. Let’s take a look at five ways to deter vervet monkeys and chacma baboons.
5 ways to deter vervet monkeys and chacma baboons
1. Don't feed them
We’ve all seen the signs: don’t feed the monkeys and baboons, or any wild animals! If you feed them once then they will come back for more, and keeping them out of your home will become harder. As far as possible, prevent access to food so that they continue seeking food in their natural habitat. Make sure everyone in your household and neighbourhood is on board with this.
2. Protect or harvest fruit and vegetables
If you have fruit trees or you’re growing vegetables, remember that these are attractive food sources for vervet monkeys and chacma baboons. Try to find a way to protect your trees and vegetable patches, such as using fences and wire mesh. When it is not possible to do so, try to harvest as soon as you can to reduce the likelihood of vervet monkeys and chacma baboons finding and eating the fruit and vegetables.
3. Secure your rubbish bins
Vervet monkeys and chacma baboons love rubbish collection day. They definitely try their luck on days when there is easy access to food. First things first, make sure all of your rubbish bags are closed tightly and there is no food waste spilling out of the bins or left outside the bins. It is a good idea to secure your wheelie bins before leaving them outside for collection. This can be done using a bungee cord, elastic strap or another type of stretchy cord.
4. Secure proof your home
Don’t make it easy for vervet monkeys and chacma baboons to enter your home. There are three keys to securing your home: secure front doors, windows and patio doors. A great security option to keep vervet monkeys and chacma baboons out is to use narrowly-spaced transparent burglar bars. These clear burglar bars are discreet and unobtrusive, yet functional, and have proven effective at stopping opportunistic pests. Keep in mind that curious vervet monkeys and chacma baboons will try to enter your home if they can see (or smell) food, so keeping food out of sight will help discourage them.
5. Use deterrents to keep primates out
There are some things that vervet monkeys and chacma baboons don’t like, which you can make use of to deter them from your home:
- Snakes: make a rubber snake or two visible in and around your home, but be sure to move them around each day.
- Water: have a water pistol on hand – a strong hose pipe may have too much pressure and injure the monkey or baboon.
- Loud noises: Have a big stick on hand, and shout and bang the stick on the ground when the monkey or baboon comes near. But never approach it directly, definitely do not stare at it, don’t hit it and avoid trying to corner it.
- Reflected light: hang some old CDs or DVDs outside so that they can catch the sun and deter primates from getting too close to your property.
Visit the NSPCA website for more information on vervet monkeys and chacma baboons. Whatever your plan of action is to keep these particular primates out of your home, it’s important to keep consistent in your efforts. If you’d like to get started on securing your home, contact our team to get a free quote.
