Monkey talk echoes the bush telegraph
The cute and comical Vervet monkey is a staple for any southern African bushveld visit, and Makweti is no exception.
Sightings of this small grey Primate which lives in groups of up to 50 are common. They move on all four limbs both on the ground and in trees. Researchers have discovered that Vervet monkey calls can be grouped into three categories – alarm, aggression and wanting. Each of these is a different pitch and volume and serves a unique purpose. High pitches squeals indicate distress and monkeys respond by climbing into trees; while short tonal calls are a warning and the troop can be seen running for cover in the bushes. Does this mean the monkeys can talk? They’re not calling out the name of each animal, but Makweti guests can use ”monkey talk” as a good indicator of what game is in the vicinity, so listen carefully and keep your eyes and ears peeled.
Besides being a source of comical entertainment, and keeping us vigilant to their antics (you have to have been to Makweti to fully understand !), our resident troop raise the alarm to alert us, most often, the first indication that there is a predator in or around camp.
Yesterday, was no exception. Frantic alarm calls alerted the Makweti team that there was a predator near camp.
