Vervet Monkeys
Chlorocebus pygerythrus
Vervet monkeys are common, highly social Old World monkeys of sub-Saharan Africa, known for a sophisticated system of predator-specific alarm calls.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Primates
- Family
- Cercopithecidae
Other Names
Vervet, Green Monkey (related species)
Size
16–22 inches long; 7–18 lbs.
Description
Grey-green fur with a black face; adult males have a distinctive blue-tinted scrotum.
Behavior
Both terrestrial and arboreal, and highly social within their troop.
Diet
Omnivorous — fruit, flowers, seeds, insects and small vertebrates.
Communication
Distinct alarm calls for different predators, including eagles, leopards and snakes.
Habitat
Savanna, woodland and riverine forest across sub-Saharan Africa.
Life Cycle & Society
- Gestation
- ~5.5 months
- Sexually Mature
- 4–5 years
- Life Span
- 12–24 years
- Athleticism
- Fast runner, agile climber
- Conservation Status
- Least Concern
Vervets live in troops of 10 to 70 with a clear dominance hierarchy among both males and females. Their alarm-call system is one of the most studied examples of referential communication in a non-human animal.
