A VERVET monkey that was painted white over the weekend could be targeted by its troop because of its peculiar appearance, the Vervet Haven’s, Joan Chalmers said today. The female monkey which was allegedly caught, had its back, head, front paws and nipples painted white.
The urban myth alleges that a painted monkey will scare the troop away.
Joan said far from scaring her troop away, the monkey would now be shunned, making her highly visible to her enemies. What’s more the mother is not able to breastfeed her infant.
The Durban North resident questioned how someone could display such cruelty.
“Hopefully there were no children around to witness this behaviour as we have enough bullying in schools at present. What did she do? Steal a banana or a piece of bread?” the infuriated resident said.
Chalmers added the female was still travelling with the troop at present and other monkeys had tried to help remove the paint by grooming her.
To the people who painted the monkey, Chalmers said: “Monkeys live by reward and blame. You are now to blame for her being vulnerable and you made her lose her standing in the troop so that she can only eat last and will now be susceptible to illness. How can someone who lives in the Durban North area be so ignorant and uneducated to believe in the painted monkey myth?”
