Estate Living Magazine Develop - Issue 44 August 2019 | Page 20

I N V E S T
&
d e v e l O P
MONKEY
BUSINESS
Often, it’s the reserve-like setting of a lifestyle estate that makes it a draw card for residents.
But what happens when nature starts encroaching on households?
Picture it: You’re in the kitchen, minding your own business as you stir the sugar
into your tea, when you feel eyes boring into the back of your head. You turn
around to find an inquisitive vervet monkey sitting on the kitchen table staring at
you as intently as you’re staring at it.
It may seem like a scenario straight from Out of Africa, but it’s also not unheard of
on lifestyle estates – which is why Audrey Delsink, Wildlife Director at the Humane
Society International in Africa, says that it’s vital that every developer conduct
a thorough environmental impact assessment (EIA) before embarking on a
construction project. ‘This is imperative, because it helps foster an understanding
of the environment as a habitat, and how populations function in this area. This,
in turn, should inform how the development is designed and how construction
progresses.’
Once the estate is up and running, there are other considerations that must be taken
into account. After all, animals won’t stay away from an area simply because there
are humans living there. On the contrary, says Emily Taylor, project coordinator
of the People in Conservation Unit at the Endangered Wildlife Trust, ‘Adapting
to living in close proximity to humans has reduced many species’ fear.’ Increased
interaction is an inevitable outcome, and is not always unintentional – think of
the times you have left food out for birds or even monkeys, for example. What is
unintentional, however, is the conflict that this almost always results in, especially
when these species become accustomed to such behaviour. Cape Town’s bold
baboons are a case in point, Taylor says. Having for decades been the target of
well-meaning but ignorant tourists who feed them, the baboons on the routes to
some of the Cape Peninsula’s most scenic spots have learned to open car doors.
They haven’t learned to drive yet, so they don’t hijack the cars, just the picnic
baskets and anything else that’s left lying around – handbags, cameras, laptops.
This is why it’s important for estates to make residents aware of potential hazards
they may encounter, and how they should deal with the animals in question, says
Chris McDonald, who is responsible for environmental and security issues at
Brettenwood Coastal Estate. ‘For example, monkeys are common on our estate.
We remind residents to leave all windows and doors closed, and to keep all food
– especially fruit – locked away. These animals are opportunistic; it’s much easier
to steal your slice of pawpaw than to search for their own berries, so it’s better to
prevent any possible problems in the first place. For that reason, we also remind
residents not to leave food out for birds.’ Taylor’s suggestions for minimising the