MANAGEMENT OF COMMENSAL BABOONS IN SAUDI-ARABIA

Following recent urban development in the mountains of south-western S audi Arabia, local populations of Papio hamadryas have become dependen t on provisioning around cities. A comprehensive approach was undertak en to analyze the origins of the current human/baboon conflict situati ons. Practical solutions to situation-specific problems are proposed. These include male vasectomy and hormonal control of female fertility to lower reproductive rates in fast growing commensal groups, and the use of trained dogs and scare guns to repel baboons from crops and cit y outskirts. A management program that includes short term solutions t o conflicts, and which also outlines ways to tackle the root causes of conflicts is discussed.