Monkey Helpline

On behalf of Vervet monkeys

It is only fair and respectful to Vervets that people who feel bothered or harassed by them make the effort to know a bit more about these intelligent and entertaining little animals and the reasons why they do some of the things that irritate and anger people.

For example, many people complain that Vervets take one bite out of a fruit then drop it. When they do this, Vervets are not being wasteful but are actually acting out evolved behaviour. By dropping fresh fruit in the forest or bush they provide ground-dwelling animals such as antelope and bushpigs with fresh food they would not normally have access to. These animals often follow troops of Vervets around, eating the fruit as it is dropped. Without Vervets, these animals would usually only find fruit on the ground that had dropped off the tree once it was overripe and unpalatable.

Vervets are one of nature’s most valuable agents of seed dispersal and play a huge role in indigenous plant growth and regeneration. Many seeds will only germinate after having been through an animal’s digestive system.

We really do have an obligation to try to understand the dilemma facing Vervets. Our homes have been built where they once had theirs. We have cultivated gardens and crops where once they foraged for natural foods. We have arbitrarily destroyed their “residential area” and all they can do now is to try and survive as best they can in an increasingly Vervet-unfriendly world.

We do not dismiss the legitimate concerns of those people who have problems with Vervets. Whilst offering assistance in resolving such problems in a “Vervet-friendly” manner, Monkey Helpline also pleads the case for the Vervets, so that people understand their dilemma and have sympathy for their plight. If we can be more tolerant, more willing to try out humane, non-lethal ways of overcoming the problems associated with the presence of Vervets around our homes, gardens or croplands, then we will have progressed towards a more compassionate world.

NB. Pellet guns and catapults/slingshots are a scourge - Vervets shot with pellets rarely die instantly. Instead the pellets cause injuries that result in a slow and agonizing death over days and weeks. Stones, steel or lead balls, marbles, etc., shot at monkeys with a catapult cause severe and life threatening injuries such as smashed eyes and broken bones. It is illegal, unnecessary and very cruel – DON’T DO IT!!!