Quick stats of the Vervet Monkey

• Diet: - Omnivore
• Overall length: - 1.2 m
• Weight: - Male - 6.8 kg
• Weight: - Female - 4.6 kg
• Lifespan - 12 years

Description

Vervet monkeys are widespread throughout southern Africa and are most often found on the edges of riverine forests or savanna woodlands. Although they are more at home in trees, they will often descend to play or search for food on the ground.

They are social animals and found in troops of 20 to 30 individuals. Their diet is wide and includes insects, fruit, eggs, berries and leafy shoots.

Their bodies are ash-grey in colour with a black face. They are particularly adept at climbing trees and jumping from branch to branch with the vervet's long tail helping maintain its balance. Like other primates, their eyes are situated on the front of the face, which allows accurate judgment of angles and distances.

A single infant is born after a gestation period of 7 months. Females are very maternal and protective towards infants in the troop.

Other Names for the Vervet Monkey

• Blouaap
• Black Faced Monkey
• Grivet Monkey
• Green Monkey

Distribution

Distribution map of the Vervet Monkey

Taxonomy of the Vervet Monkey

• Order - Primates
• Family - Cercopithecidae
• Sub Family - Cercopithecinae
• Genus - Cercopithecus
• Species - C. aethiops
• Sub Species - Cercopithecus aethiops vervet