The Project
Volunteer Work with Vervet Monkeys in South Africa

The Role Vervet Monkeys Play in Nature:

Bird control: Vervet monkeys love bird eggs – a behavior that affects and controls bird populations. It is the opinion of the foundation that the finch problem in South Africa is as a direct result of the eradication of the vervet monkey from the riverine breeding areas of this finch species. Vervets are also riverine and will decimate finch nests by pulling them apart to search for eggs. To date, all finch breeding areas that the foundation has visited have shown that the vervet monkey is no longer there.

Insect Control: Vervets eat insect eggs, grubs and adult insects, which plays a valuable role in controlling insect populations. Vervets spend many hours digging, scratching and poking around in search of insect eggs, and can consume large quantities of insects in the egg phase. Vervets have also developed behavior whereby they beat the grass by jumping around, to flush out the insect which they then catch and eat. Vervets are territorial and are very adept in knowing where to find insects and food within their territory, and patrol known ant holes to catch virtually all the flying ants which emerge. High ranking males patrol the best spots and will ensure that only he is allowed to catch emerging flying ants.

Spreading of seeds: Vervet monkeys play a valuable role in spreading seeds, as they eat seeds and then excrete them in open areas of their natural habitat where viable seeds can germinate. In a study that was done in the mined coastal areas of Natal it was found that the vervet monkey plays a big role in the rehabilitation process of those mined areas, reflected by the seed dispersal generated through the feeding and movement of the monkeys. In nature, seeds of some indigenous plants first have to pass through the digestive tract of an animal where they are exposed to the acids of the stomach, which break down the seed’s chemical inhibitor so that they can germinate. It was found that seeds collected from droppings of vervet monkeys (and baboons) have a much higher germination percentage than those collected from a tree.

The study found that vervet monkeys fulfill three of the criteria necessary for the rehabilitation of ground:

1. Invariability (refers to the colonization of these areas with new species)
2. Biotic interaction (the restored state of an affected area)
3. Sustainability (which results from the presence of nuclei from natural forests that provide seed sources and dispersal agents to move seed and rehabilitate open areas).

Pollination of plants: Vervet monkeys visit flowering plants to pick the flowers and suck out the nectar. The very nature of their behavior in these flowering trees, plus their fur coat, makes vervets brilliant pollinating agents.