In May of this year Melanie Gosling published and article on GroundUp about the threats of climate change on the fynbos biome of the Western Cape.  
(https://www.groundup.org.za/article/evidence-climate-change-threatens-fynbos/)  The article spoke about research conducted by South African and American scientists in the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve section of the Table Mountain National Park that identified a correlation between fire and climate change causing a loss of fynbos species.  For Cape Town's baboons who are being restricted to smaller and smaller areas of fynbos this may mean a loss of natural fynbos food sources on which they depend.

Though other drivers leading to species loss are identified it has become clear that the regular fires on which fynbos regeneration depends are being followed by more frequent, hotter and drier summers. If a fire is followed by hot summer then the species that have sprouted subsequent to the fire are less likely to survive leading to local and even regional species loss.  

Cumulatively, climate change, drought and frequent fires are causing regeneration problems that are obvious around Cape Town. Fynbos regeneration requires fires on average every 5 to 7 years.  The fires on the Cape Peninsula over successive seasons have further complicated the situation in certain areas.  The problem is that a second fire in close succession to the initial one has resulted in the loss of the newly sprouted vegetation that has not had a chance to go to seed and restock the seed bank.  The end result is that the fynbos vegetation does not adequately recover leading to soil loss through erosion and the establishment of alien vegetation. This scenario is suspected in areas like Kleinplaas Dam, Slangkop and surrounds where two significant fires swept through landscape in 2015 and 2016.  Alien vegetation is evident, including invasive species.

For the baboons around Kommetjie, Ocean View, Da Game Park and Simonstown vegetation loss in their home ranges not only has consequences in terms of overall biodiversity loss but it has a negative impact on their food security.  Baboon Matters poses the following question:  Is there is enough food in the mountains to sustain the baboons, especially without impacting on the overall ecosystem health?  The extreme loss of vegetation has not been assessed and that question cannot be answered by the City of Cape Town or SANParks.  

During recent time spent in the field it has become clear that this question needs to be answered both in terms of the regeneration of the fynbos but also in terms of baboon food security.  Who will pay the price if this question is not answered?  Our natural heritage.  The baboons of course will be forced into the urban areas if the carrying capacity of the recently burned vegetation is exceeded and that results in more baboons being culled due to raiding behaviour.  So to Baboon Matters and Cape Town's baboons the health of the vegetation on the Cape Peninsula is critical, it is our heritage and their food.  We need to assess the situation and, based on the results, manage the situation accordingly.