Vervet monkeys: Uncovering surprising human-like qualities and complex social behavior
Snake catcher and nature enthusiast Warren Dick explains about the range of behaviors and characteristics that vervet monkeys have that bear some resemblance to humans.
VERVET monkeys share many human-like qualities with us, including hypertension, anxiety and social or dependent alcohol use.
Warren Dick, a nature enthusiast, snake-catcher and professional photographer based on The Bluff, said vervet monkeys are social animals, living in groups ranging from 10 to 70 individuals, and they have different hierarchies between males and females.
“Males usually move off to neighbouring groups once they reach sexual maturity. These monkeys also have quite an extensive vocabulary, including differing calls for different types of predators,” he said.
Dick said babies pick up their vocabulary as they grow and come to learn what different calls mean.
Also read: How to live in harmony with vervet monkeys
“Like humans, individuals recognise each other from the sound of their voices. Mother monkeys know their baby’s voice and will quickly respond to alarm calls from their own child rather than another,” he said.
Dick said that within a few days of a baby being born, each member of the tribe has at least one chance to see, smell and even touch the new baby.
“In well-established groups, mothers often leave their babies in the care of immature females (teenagers) within the troop. It not only gives the mother a break but also affords younger females the opportunity to learn about baby care before having one of their own. Troops that have this kind of mothering technique often have a much better survival rate than those that don’t.”
Dick said that as much as he loves wildlife and monkeys, he never encourages the feeding of any wild animal.
“While one person is seemingly being ‘kind’ to an animal, the same animal is seen as vermin by another person, and at the end of the day, the monkey suffers. The feeding of monkeys habituates them to humans, also giving them a sense of entitlement, making conflict inevitable.
“It may seem cute and innocent to give a monkey food from your hand, but the monkey may go to another person expecting the same treatment, and if food is left out, the monkey may get persistent or aggressive, giving the person a reason to act out against the monkey,” he said.
Dick added that it’s an unfortunate fact that almost every monkey living in residential areas has at some point been shot by a pellet gun.
“It is a criminal offence to fire a pellet gun at any animal, and if caught, you can face a hefty fine or jail time. Report any such incidents to the local SPCA,” he said.
Contact Warren to have some of your interesting spiders, snakes or other wildlife identified. Call or WhatsApp him on 072 211 0353 or visit his Facebook page, Warren’s Small World.
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