Baboons were seen crossing the road in Simon's Town with help from a patrol officer.
Image: Instagram/@vsitcapetown
Cape Town truly is the gift that keeps on giving. If it’s not a taxi driver swooping in like a hero to rescue an elderly man from the Cape Doctor wind, it’s a Cape Cobra lounging on someone’s balcony, just vibing.
But just when you think you’ve seen everything this city has to offer, the wildlife steps up and delivers a whole new level of entertainment.
Forget the usual baboon behaviour of watermelon heists or breaking into your holiday home when you’re out trying to enjoy a peaceful weekend. Now, we’ve got a whole new generation of baboons who are all about manners and road safety.
A video that recently went viral shows two baboons crossing the busy main road in Simon’s Town, not rushing or causing chaos, but strolling across like they’ve got somewhere important to be.
And just to add a cherry on top, a road patrol guard was there, making sure they got across safely, like a proper traffic officer. Just another day in the Western Cape, right?
The footage was uploaded over the weekend by Instagram user @thecaperobyn and quickly gained attention.
The caption read: “If you listen very carefully, you can hear Charles Darwin laughing.”
Let’s be honest: how many times have you been stuck behind a pedestrian crossing the street, taking their sweet time while you’re already late for something?
Now, picture yourself behind these baboons, calmly strolling across the road like they own the place. They don’t even seem fazed by the cars, almost like they’re saying, “Yep, we’re important too, you know.”
And we get the message: they are important and adorable at that.
And this behaviour from baboons in Cape Town isn’t just a one-off. It’s not abnormal for these Capetonian baboons to live like they’re working a 9-to-5.
One local shared a gem of a story: "We use to be the owners of Lakeside Spar- Muizenberg. They came shopping on a regular basis, walking down Main Road with a loaf of bread under each arm."
You know, just a quick sandwich run.
These baboons have been spotted acting more human than some of us, regularly engaging in suburban life as if it were their own.
Whether it’s raiding fridges, snagging snacks at local shops, or casually strolling down the road as if they own the place, Cape Town’s baboons seem to have mastered the art of living in harmony with humans.
Let this be a reminder to us all to use the pedestrian crossing instead of jaywalking and risking a run-in with a taxi or VW.