Project Unruly Natures

Rainy days and media attention

Data collection is progressing well, by now we have over 250 responses to the survey and have expanded from Ocean View and Capri to Da Gama Park, Simon’s Town, Murdock Valley, Tokai and Zwaanswyk. As winter is setting in, heavy rain has forced us to stay home on some days which is causing some delays.Continue reading “Rainy days and media attention”

First week of data collection complete

After a full day’s training on 9 May, the research team set out to start data collection in Capri and Ocean View. We are very grateful for how friendly and welcoming residents have been, and how many have filled out our survey so far. Some of you have raised very valid questions that we realisedContinue reading “First week of data collection complete”

Data collection about to start!

Next week we will begin conducting surveys, starting first in Capri and Ocean View and then moving on to other baboon-visited neighbourhoods. Together with four fieldworkers (Akhona, Claire, Jason and Randall), Luke and I will be knocking on doors to invite residents to participate. We will all wear ID badges with our names and lightContinue reading “Data collection about to start!”

Second Advisory Board Meeting

Approximately three months have passed since the first meeting with our Advisory Board, and last week it was time for our second one. With only one board member excused (and one researcher joining via video link) we were happy with the turnout and the dedication everyone continues to put towards the project. The meeting gaveContinue reading “Second Advisory Board Meeting”

Pilot study in three baboon-visited areas

After several months of project groundwork and preparation, we went out to three baboon-visited areas to test our data collection approach and the survey that we have developed. We decided to test our set-up in Zwaanswyk, Ocean View, and Simon’s Town because we wanted to be exposed to a diversity of potential challenges that weContinue reading “Pilot study in three baboon-visited areas”

First Advisory Board meeting

January is a busy month for the Unruly Natures team with important project milestones ahead. One of these was the first meeting of the project’s Advisory Board, set up to help the research take residents’ perspectives into account. The Board’s members all live in different baboon-visited areas across the Cape Peninsula, and were nominated byContinue reading ” First Advisory Board meeting”

Field visits with NCC

As the summer holiday set in for most, we took the opportunity to learn more about the neighbourhoods where we will be doing this research. NCC, who runs the Baboon Programme for the City of Cape Town, kindly agreed to let us tag along with their field managers to get a better idea of whereContinue reading “Field visits with NCC”

Frequently Asked Questions Page and Subscription Option

Welcome to 2023! We are starting this year with two new developments on our project website. First, we have added a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) tab to share questions that sometimes come up when we talk to residents about the project. We will update this regularly. If you think of something you’d like us toContinue reading “Frequently Asked Questions Page and Subscription Option”

Sharing thesis results with study participants from baboon-visited communities

Last year when I planned my thesis I set the goal of going back to the communities that I worked with and sharing the results with them. Why? Because it is crucial to create spaces where knowledge cross-fertilization between academics and locals can occur. But also because people contributed their time and knowledge, and shouldContinue reading “Sharing thesis results with study participants from baboon-visited communities”

Upcoming event: Sharing findings from previous study, and future research plans

About a year ago, Kinga Psiuk was conducting fieldwork in for her master’s thesis project. She met with residents from several baboon-visited areas around the Cape Peninsula, using something called Q method to unpack how people’s perspectives on baboons and baboon-related matters differ and overlap. Kinga successfully defended her thesis at Stockholm University in June.Continue reading “Upcoming event: Sharing findings from previous study, and future research plans”