Monkey trouble Cape Vidal

[Lichia amia]

Got this Warning on Cape Vidal Camp Monkeys

people intending to camp at the beautiful Cape Vidal should be warned about the the terible monkey pestering. The go underneath your tents flysheet, tear the netting and gain access to the inside of your tent. They are even able to open the clips of crates and ammo crates. These monkeys eat anything even uncooked macaroni. We had to buy new groceries three times in two weeks and not because we were negligent but because the monkeys stop at nothing even when you are in the tent and they get a glimps of food or a smell, they come inside and grab what they want.
Other than this we had a wonderful holiday in beautiful surroundings, with lots of wild animals to be viewed and a lovely beach and sea.

How do you keep the monkeys out of your tent ? I was thinking of a rubber snake in the middle of the tent ?

[REEFMAN]

Few plastic snakes around the campsite! Excellent idea!

[Toppie]

Monkeys are getting clever these days. But I think those at Sodwana are either more evolved or smarter. At least they dont tear the tents or window gauze. Have sat watching them un-zip all the neighbours tents.

Plastic snakes help otherwise take "catties" with. On the Bluff in Durban guys caught one and sprayed it white. When it was released it headed straight back to the troup, with the troup running like mad to get away from it.

Perhaps we should take a tin of paint with.

[Ziggy]

I have a huge rubber snake - and it keeps them away - but you have to move it around - otherwise they get wise - it is so real looking that on the zambezi once I crapped myself when I encountered it while in a dwaal

It lives in my car on the dashboard - and seems to keep at least 20% of tsotsis away - petrol pump attendants scream when they see it while washing windows - and often, in traffic - guys on the back of bakkies get al excited - as do corner vendors

Sometimes the pump attendants (those who are not scared) ask me if they can chase their buddies around - great laughs...

by the way, his name is ADT and is 6 years old- cost me R90 - and have been looking for another one for years

Another thing - keep your food not in your tents - and leave the tent open with absolutely nothing edible in it - so they can go in and see that there is nothing to eat

Here is ADT - see matchbox for scale

[Ziggy]

Toppie - not the way to  go - in fact, the bluff incident - what happennned is that the rest of the troop came to assit the painted monkey - - apparently not a nice thing to see - the painted monkey was howling and the troop was very upset - the paint eventually killed it....not so sure that this is a very good solution. Bear in mind, monkeys are browsers - with no sense of ownership (why should they have thaat sense?) - and they will find food where it is the easist 0 - so it starts with campers feeding them - and leaving food around. Bear in mind that Vidal is a nature reserve and it is their place not ours!

Chasing them out of your house is different from where you intrude inot theirs.

So, best option is to secure your food properly - leave nothing lying around and give them easy access to your "food empty" tent - so they dont have to rip it up to get in

[Rory mundy]

time to shoot a few had the same problem there last week in the cabins swear they can open the door

[Tsutsuma]

Hectic stuff guys - your plans to fix this problem differ lots lol

[Rory mundy]

the monkeys are very agressive and brazen and it is due to people feeding them and now it is easier for them to raid tents and chalets for food for a easy meal. plus there are way to many monkeys at vidal

[Tsutsuma]

the monkeys are very agressive and brazen and it is due to people feeding them and now it is easier for them to raid tents and chalets for food for a easy meal. plus there are way to many monkeys at vidal

Then they should introduce something like birth control - is that possible ??

[Ziggy]

Shooting not an option - and we should remember that we have encroached inot their territory - and hav ebeen negligent about making our food accessible. Monkeys are like humans, they take the easiest way out o sustain themselves. In humans some steal instead of work, most buy food from supermarkets instead of grow it etc etc. So if you present easy opportunites for food - monkeys will take it. As I said before they have no concept of ownership. Birth control? Yes, maybe. But still the best long term solution is for humans not to put tempataion in the way of the monkeys.

[Tsutsuma]

I do understand and sgree with all you say here Ziggy.
No matter how you look at this monkey thing - it is a sad situation.
In LM = Maputo - after the changes in 1975 - all those lovely resident monkeys in the beach caravan park - were killed
and eaten.
So there is not a monkey in site in Maputo or any built up area.

[nico]

time to shoot a few had the same problem there last week in the cabins swear they can open the door

The monkeys can be a pest, but some of the troops there are samango monkey, which are very rare and threatened.
 
As others have said - best is to secure all your food stuff and not give them opportunity. Last time we where there I ened up with monkey pooh in my car as I left a window open. Not pleasant, but my own fault!

[Rory mundy]

every thing we do as the human race effects nature thats how it is but we can choose to do things in a better way. some times we need to step in that life

[Ziggy]

I visited Mana Pools on the lower Zambezi for years - staring just after the war ended in the early 80's. At that time, there were no problmes with hyena, baboons and elephantsin the camp site. But, over the years, becasue of negligent (and stupid) campers who either left food lying around or feeding the animals - problems arose. The authorites eventually banned anyone from bringing in fresh friut and veg...and the problme bgan to ease off.

Maybe there is a case for doing that at Vidal? Also, in Alaska - in some areas the authorites do not allow you to even carry food while fishing becasue of the bears. In other areas there are special lock ups for your food.

May also be a good idea to have a small lockup at vidal? The opther problme is what people throw in the bins

Bottom line is - if you want to be in a place where the monkeys are a problem, be careful what you do with your food - and if you cant do that, then dont go there

[jaenswart]

just a thought, I've been visiting Vidal for 30 years now. Monkeys have always been around and always been trouble because people feed them. We have adapted and are able to camp along with them. So it is possible.

Remember we are visiting their habitat, not the other way round...it's a park

PS: I must say I have seen some of the best and worst tricks at vidal to keep the monkeys at bay

[Ziggy]

Jaenswart

It would be intersted to know how you adapted to them and are able to camp alongside them. It may give others some direction on how to do it

[jaenswart]

First off all basics.

All food and fruit are locked away in a BIG cage like cupboard. All the rest in coolboxes, freezers etc.

Tent are locked with  locks as the monkeys have figured out how to open tents.

And then it is always odd that the kids all get ketties and marbles before a vidal vacation lol

We also take along sulfur and spread it around camp...nothing crosses it

I post some pics of our Vidal setup...look carefully at the cage etc

[jaenswart]

more

[kp11]

I find that if you use tie downs on ammo boxes and the fridge they cannot get in. Also use steel trunk for food an lock with padlocks.

[Rory mundy]

at least they keep you amused when the bay is sanded up