The start of this week was, once again, a tough one for the Vervet monkeys. We are now at the peak of summer and travelling far to get succulents has become a tedious task.

To overcome this harsh period, the monkeys trade social interactions for more resting time. They usually settle down around noon for a few hours until the temperature drops.

Surprising as it may sound, this dry period has also brought some good. The jacket plums have ripened and the Vervets are feasting on their delicious red berries. Our three troops have now extended their home range in order to include this resource in their diet, leaving the succulents aside.

Luckily we had a rainstorm by the end of the week with thunder and lightning. This was an amazing show for us to watch. We don’t know exactly what the Vervets thought of it, but by the end of it we had a flowing river. This will definitely improve the Vervets’ way of life, allowing for social interactions like play and grooming to take place again.

Until next time, and hoping for even more rain!

Steven 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.

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