Vervet monkey behaviour explained

THE ZO was recently made aware of two incidents in which male vervet monkeys ventured into residential areas – away from their troops and otherwise natural habitats.

Last week the ZO reported that a Jack Russell sustained deep wounds after an aggressive male vervet monkey ripped into the dog at a home in Birdswood.

Meanwhile in Empangeni a concerned homeowner contacted the ZO about another male vervet monkey who had been seen in and around the premises of the golf course, venturing onto the roofs of nearby homes and around Paul Avenue.

Carol Booth of Monkey Helpline, an NPO based in Durban, said there is a valid explanation regarding male monkeys roaming through residential areas at this time of the year.

‘An adult male monkey on his own is in all likelihood a dispersing adult male.

‘Once a male monkeys reaches sexual maturity, which is around 5 years of age, he is evicted from his birth troop.

‘He either leaves without any negative interaction or may sustain serious injury in his bid to convince his troop to let him remain.

ALSO READ: Monkey attacks cause concerns for little children’s safety

‘His eviction or departure from his troop and territory is to ensure he does not mate with his siblings and does not compete with the other adult males that keep the gene pool pure.

‘The evicted male then is intended to move on, to find a new troop and to make the effort to join the new troop.

‘He faces many obstacles and challenges in doing so.

‘He is on his own and no longer has the safety and comfort of his troop.

‘He has to negotiate unknown territory, crossing busy roads and passing through gardens with dogs and pellet gun shooting.

‘Dispersing male monkeys often succumb to these perils, but if he survives and is able to join a new troop he can go on to live a few more years under the protection of that troop and alongside the troop leader.

‘Single dispersing adult male monkeys are not aggressive, they are no threat to people or pets and are not ‘problematic bulls’.

‘They are just doing what nature intended them to do.

‘A young evicted male monkey often may remain close to human habitation and even enjoy the company of other people.

‘He is of course just a lonely, scared young adult.

‘If you do not wish to have this male in and around your home and garden you can encourage him to move along by chasing him with a jet of water squirted from a squirt bottle, water pistol or hose pipe.

‘Take comfort in the knowledge that he will move on and once he has found and joined a troop you may no longer see him.

‘If he is not a problem to you, just leave him to move off at his own pace and allow him to remain in a safe area until he is ready to continue on his way naturally.

‘It’s important to know that monkeys do not carry rabies, nor do they randomly attack and bite people or pets,’ Booth said in a statement to the ZO.

Booth further noted the importance of respecting the primates, as humans have encroached on their natural habitats.

‘A troop of monkeys is bonded to its territory through a matrilineal line spanning many generations.

‘Female vervets never leave the territory of their birth, which means that, with the exception of most of the mature adult males, the monkeys you see in the troop where you live descend from female monkeys who lived right there hundreds of years ago.

‘Even though we have destroyed their habitat and their homes, they cannot leave.

‘When the houses, factories, schools, shops, churches and roads were constructed on land cleared of the natural vegetation that was home to the monkeys, they had to learn to survive in a ‘monkey unfriendly’ world, and because they have done this with such success they are demonised, harassed, persecuted and killed.

‘In order to survive they need to be able to find food, shelter and security,’ she added.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.

For news straight to your phone invite us:

WhatsApp – 072 069 4169

Instagram – zululand_observer