Vervet monkeys are highly social animals, and occur in well organised troops, dominated by males. Females do not leave their natal group, but males emigrate from the troop at puberty.
This is a seasonal breeder and single young are born between March and May after a gestation period of 140 days. Inter birth intervals could be longer than a single season, and is correlated with food abundance.
The diet tends to be omnivorous, feeding on fruit, flowers, leaves and insects, which constitutes the bulk of their diet. Primates are amongst the few mammals with colour vision, which allows Vervet Monkeys to distinguish between green and ripe fruit.
Males have a mass of 6kg and measure 1.1 m in length, whereas females are slightly smaller and weigh only 4kg. Vervet Monkeys have a silver-grey body with a marked black face. The ridge of the eyebrows is white, and so are the feet and tail tip. The genitals of adult males are vividly coloured to signal sexual status, namely a red penis and a blue scrotum.
And here’s a few photos…. not of the penis and scrotum…
What’s going on over there..? Ok.. finish up now, I have another problem..
Yep it’s in there somewhere, keep looking.. Oooo… that feels good…
Is it a bird.. a plane.. look out there’s something falling our way…
Stop… I see something odd on your leg.. Ahh… there got it, damn ticks hide everywhere
Do you have to take a photo when I’m eating..??
Amazing creatures to watch – such personality!
That they are…. thanks for the visit..
And people huint those cute little monkeys? What the heck is wrong with them – let’s go hunt the hunters, you game?
I’m with you… had these youngsters at Port Shepstone climbing and playing all over me…
And what became of them since? *stares at neighbour’s fur coat very disapprovingly*
Wow! Good stuff! I was glued to your pics and in total amazement! Thanks for this! Real alive monkeys…. whoda thunk! lol
Yep, your monkeys… actually quite friendly and fun to watch…
They are beautiful. As a child I always wanted a pet monkey so my parents bought me a puppet that would sit on my shoulder – he looked just like these guys!
they are good fun to watch… and I’ve even been accepted by one troop where the young have played with me and on me…
Very cute fellows. I love the bottom one.
Thanks Maralee they are cute and normally friendly except when the bigger males start moving the youngsters out of the troop…
Love your photos, especially the last one. Thanks for sparing us the private bits. 🙂
I would be too embarrassed posting that lot for your viewing…
These look like pretty lively little creatures — so interesting about the female remaining with her original group but males going off after puberty. I love the captions you put on the photos bulldog — you are quite the comedian I’m telling you!! 🙂 Fun post — cute monkeys!! 🙂 x ~ R
They are fascinating troops to watch… as they move about play and de flea each other… when the time comes around for pairing the younger males get quite aggressive.. had a few have a go at me… but I’m just too big for them to frighten so they end up being the ones chased… but now that I think of it they probably do it on purpose to make me chase them… they’re probably laughing themselves silly watching me… at the one course I worked they got so used to me sitting near the troop that the youngsters would come and jump all over me… it was wonderful…
Really… Thy jumped pn you bd??? Wow… Now that would be a photo!!!! 🙂
I sat so still… one I wasn’t sure how their mothers would take it… and they have a viscous bite… but my biggest worry was had their mothers potty trained them or was I to get a christening of a different sort…
LOL! You are too much ~ this would truly have been a vision to see!! Next time set up a tripod and timer and get that shot!!!!
WOW! These are great shots… Fascinated me all of them but in number 4 his/her position is amazing… They are so lovely. The last one with the orange colour so b eautiful… Thank you dear Rob, love, nia
Thanks Nia… they are funny little fellows and checking each other out the whole time…