THE recent discovery of a hairless Vervet Monkey at the Umlalazi Nature Reserve near Mtunzini has left mammal experts baffled.
First spotted last year by Umlalazi Nature Reserve Manager Truman Buthelezi, the hairless monkey has drawn much attention from onlookers.
After seeking advice from the vet, officials decided not to take action owing to the time of year when it was spotted.
However the Vervet Monkey, who has been a resident for many years, has not regained its hair, but still displays normal primate behaviour within its troop.
Although not commonly found, the reason for the Vervet’s lack of hair lies in a number of reasons.
It was first thought the cause was a result of mites, a common phenomenon observed during winter months, but the monkey remained hairless despite the change of season.
The time it was spotted also coincided with a similar photograph received of a bushbuck with hair loss in the eShowe Hills Eco-Estate.
After a letter was published in the July 2015 Go magazine about the hairless monkey, wildlife expert LD van Essen responded by saying that after a traumatic incident or owing to malnutrition, many animals – especially primates – can suffer from alopecia, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss.
‘Without a physical examination it’s difficult to rule out other causes, which could include a genetic mutation, an endocrine defect, a bacterial or viral infection, a vitamin or mineral imbalance or even excessive grooming,’ said Van Essen.
