Monkey (Vervet) - Overview

Order: Primates

Family: Cercopithecidae

Species: Chlorocebus pygerythrus

IUCN Status: Least Concern

Population Trend: Decreasing

Distribution: Grassland south of the Sahara from Somalia to eastern and southern Africa.

Habitat: Savannah and woodland edge, near water.

Size: height: 46-66cm. weight: male 4.5kg. female 3.3kg.

Life-span: 7-12 years.

Food: Fruit, leaves, crops, flowers, nestlings, eggs and rodents.

Sexual maturity: 5 years in the wild, 2 years in captivity.

Gestation: 163 days.

Number of young: 1.

Appearance: Vervet monkeys have long arms and legs which allow them to move at speed on the ground. Their colouring varies even among members of the same troop, but generally they have golden backs, grey limbs, a black face, white underparts and red and blue genitals.