Vervet Monkey

Vervet monkeys are an active and agile species of Old World monkey that can be found all over sub-Saharan Africa, even occasionally venturing in to urban areas to find food. They travel in big groups called troops, and spend their days foraging for food and finding comfortable and safe resting spots. High up in the trees, they’re interesting to look at: they tend to have a green tint to their fur, white eyebrows, and black faces! Due to their interesting color, they are sometimes called “green monkeys.” They can be identified by their yellow to greenish-brown coat of hair. Their bellies are white, and they also have white fur on their brows and cheeks. Vervet monkeys are also easily recognized by their black-skinned faces, hands, and feet. Adding to their colorful appearance is blue skin on their abdomens, which is especially bright on the male monkeys. Talk about a life in color! They are fairly small and are on the menu for many larger, carnivorous (meat-eating) animals. Large cats like leopards, as well as hyenas, eagles, and snakes, are just some of the animals that prey on primates. In the West Indies, domestic dogs are a serious threat to vervets, as are humans who hunt the monkeys either for meat or in persecution. In order to stay safe, vervet monkeys travel in groups and will head for the trees if there are signs of danger.Communication is key when it comes to avoiding predators. Vervet monkeys have a wide variety of alarm calls that are used to warn others of potential danger. Each call provokes a different response, such as fleeing to trees or looking to the sky to be aware of danger from above.