Vervet Monkey
(Chlorocebus Pygerythrus)

Vervet Monkey Description:
The Vervet Monkey is a medium sized primate with greenish/olive or silvery/gray coloured fur and black face, hands, feet, tip of tail and top of head. Male body length varies from 45cm-85cm and weighs 3.5kg-7.5kg. Females range from 40cm-60cm in body length and weigh 2.5-5.5kg. Both sexes have tail lengths of 50cm-115cm.

There are five distinct subspecies -

CITES Classification of the Vervet Monkey:  [?]
None

Vervet Monkey Habitat:
Savanna, mountains up to 4000m, acacia woodlands with streams and lakes. Commonly found in South Africa where they are classified vermin and so can be killed by human without a permit.

Vervet Monkey Social Structure and Behaviour:
Vervets generally live in groups of 10-50 comprising mainly of females and their offspring. There is a strict hierarchy. Young spend the first week clinging to the mother's stomach but after the third week the young begin to move by them selves and interact with other young monkeys.

Vervet Monkey Communication:
Alarm calls, which vary depending on the type of threat to the group.

Vervet Monkey Life Cycle:
Known to have a life span of up to 20 years. They have a gestation period of 7 months, which produces a single offspring.

Vervet Monkey Diet:
Mainly frugvivourous but will supplement its diet with leaves seeds, insects, birds eggs and small rodents.

 

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More Primate Species     Baboon   Bonobo   Chimpanzee   Drill   Gorilla   Guenon   Mandrill   Mangabey   Vervet

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