It’s been about 3 months since our first vervet babies were born here on Samara. They’ve spent most of this time clinging to their mothers, peeking out as she goes about her day eating, grooming, and being obsessed over by juveniles who insist on holding them.

Recently our little ones have begun to venture off of their mothers to explore the world around them. They love playing with anyone who will indulge them, often with the yearlings who were born last year. They’re beginning to follow mum on foot rather than being carried. Also, they’re having lots of fun trying to eat whatever they find! And as Colin mentioned a few posts back, they’re beginning to call to the others.

Just as we’re interested in how the young vervets begin to use all the calls they will need as adults, we’re also interested in how the young ones learn to survive. Do the babies learn what to eat by watching mum, or by chewing on what they encounter and stick with what they like? Can they get information from smelling what others are eating? How long do they spend playing as they grow up? To answer these questions, we keep track of who the spend their time with, what they eat, and who they pay attention to. We look forward to tracking their progress and will keep you posted on what we learn!

Until next time,

Christina and the Verveteers

The Vervet Monkey research project is a collaboration between a number of international universities. The project has been based at Samara Private Game Reserve in the Great Karoo since 2008. The aim of the project is to investigate the adaptations of these fascinating monkeys to climatic changes.

Samara Private Game Reserve is a luxury 5-star destination with a passionate conservation mission set within breathtaking wilderness. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus or Instagram, or click here to start planning your stay with us today. A safari for the soul.