WILD LIFERS: The wicked problem of controlling baboons

Baboon management has been described as a 'wicked problem' that resists clear definitions, tidy solutions, and agreed-upon endpoints. Interventions involving baboons face intertwined causes, conflicting stakeholder visions of successful outcomes, and inevitable trade-offs.

The challenge highlights the complexities inherent in wildlife conservation and urban-wildlife interface management, where scientific approaches and public expectations frequently clash over how to handle the animals.