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Baboons are notorious for being intelligent, adaptable monkeys and the Chacma baboons of the Cape Peninsula are no exception. They terrify visitors to the Park everyday, stalking children with ice creams and jumping onto moving cars in case there's a meal to be had inside. People are warned to always drive with their windows up, and rubbish bins have had to be "baboon-proofed".So it is not surprising to find that these very thieves are at the same time extremely proficient at securing a natural food source. They know that at low tide the rocky shores are strewn with juicy packets of protein called limpets but fearing the water, they keep an eye on the sea. These sea shells hold on to the rocks with a powerful muscle when exposed by the tide but baboons have learnt to prize them free with their strong canines, and pull them off with their dextrous fingers. Even better, is a favourite delicacy. At the lowest tides of the month, when deeper areas of sea grass are exposed, baboons sift through the weed until they find a precious little brown pouch: a shark egg. The daring monkeys of the cape Peninsula National Park have become shark eaters!
