Monkey extraordinaire, Steve Smit, has pulled off another miraculous rescue and rehabilitation of a little Vervet monkey in the uMgeni Park area recently.
According to Carol Booth of Monkey Helpline, a non-profit organisation that is dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of Vervet monkeys, when the female Vervet passed through the busy industrial area of uMgeni Park she could only keep up with her troop until Cedar Fields Road where she hid behind pieces of rubble.
“She battled massive infections in the multiple bites across her arm, legs, base of her tail and back all with a running high temperature. Thin, weak, dehydrated she closed her eyes, huddled down and listened as her troop moved further and further away. She was probably hopeful they’d pass by again later, and feeling safely hidden, thought she’d found a good place to wait until they returned,” said Booth.
She added that had it not been for a good samaritan, Sibu Gwedu, who contacted Monkey Helpline after noticing the young Vervet, the primate would have surely died. Booth said: “She was still in the same hiding place when we arrived, but took off as best she could, climbing half way up a pipe but falling down as the energy she’d exerted disappeared. She was an easy catch and she screamed in terror as Steve lifted her from the corner.”
The monkey is making a speedy recovery at a local vet in Ronaldo and will be introduced to a rehabilitation group with orphan Vervets once stronger. She added that that the public ought to be aware that it is the start of mating season for Vervets, which will cause lots of infighting amongst male monkeys as they compete for a position to mate.
“Vervet monkeys also do not tolerate male monkeys born in the troop mating with the females to whom he is related, so at this time the young adult male monkeys that’s ready to mate are kicked out of their troop and forced to leave and join a new troop. These lone male monkeys are actually feeling very insecure, as they no longer have the support of their troop and family.
“These male monkeys are not rogues, are not dangerous or aggressive they are just passing through to find a new territory and troop to join. It is in these situations when sexually mature monkeys are chased away and when they try joining new troops that the babies get in the way of the altercations and get bitten.”
She pleaded for all to be tolerant of the monkeys during this time and assured that despite the noised caused by the infighting, humans and pets will not be affected, as the aggression is purely monkey-to-monkey.
“Call your dogs in so they don’t get involved in the despite and if the monkeys are a problem move them along by squirting them with a jet of water. Tolerance and education is the key, knowing that monkeys do not carry any diseases people need to be concerned about, they are not carriers of rabies, they do not have ticks and fleas and will not randomly attack people or pets can allay many misconceptions and fears. We can easily co-exist with the Vervet troop that passes through our homes, schools, businesses; it just takes a little effort,” she said.
For more information or to book an educational talk for groups or schools go to www.monkeyhelpline.co.za, or email Steve on steve@monkeyhelpline.co.za.
