Vervet monkey

The vervet monkey, in Afrikaans blou-aap (blue ape), lives in comfort among the many Lowveld trees; also in many other parts of southern Africa and further afield.

Agile and resourceful, it finds food readily in veld, orchard and garden. Moving out of harm’s way carrying contested acquisitions is a lifestyle, usually without even leaving its wide comfort zone; ever watchful. Swimming is a natural ability, should the need arise.

As for size, the vervet monkey weighs from 3 kg to 8 kg, its length from 95 cm to 13 cm. It has grey, coarse hair, a black face, white chest and long tail of up to 75 cm.

These monkeys usually sleep high up in tall trees where they huddle for the night.

Omnivorous, they tend to the vegetarian side, mainly eating fruit, flowers, tree gum and tree sap (by biting into the bark). For balance it may be eggs, chicks, lizards, insects and spiders. Vervet monkeys are in turn eaten by eagles and owls, crocodiles and pythons, as well as by some cats, particularly leopards and servals (Riëtte, 2016; Wikipedia).