The Sanctuary

Founded in 1993 to provide protection to orphaned and injured primates, the Vervet Monkey Sanctuary operates the largest sanctuary for monkeys in South Africa. The Sanctuary receives approximately 40-60 babies and 30-60 juveniles/adults every year and currently looks after over 500 primates, the majority of which are vervet monkeys.

Man is the biggest threat to vervet monkeys in the wild. In addition to habitat encroachment and urbanization, thousands of vervet monkeys are trapped and sold every year to laboratories worldwide for medical research. Due to the misconception that they destroy fruit crops, vervet monkeys are also systematically eradicated by farmers. In fact, the farming community is responsible for a major portion (73%) of the many orphaned vervet monkey babies that are found in the wild. The vervet monkey is currently listed as a vulnerable species on Appendix Two of CITES (Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species).

Apart from caring for the monkeys, the Vervet Monkey Sanctuary also runs numerous outreach programmes, educating farmers, land owners and settlements and giving talks at schools, clubs, organizations, and conservancies. A national network called “Monkey Watch” was created in which concerned citizens monitor the monkeys in their area and report any indiscriminate killing. The Sanctuary also maintains a complete database on vervet monkeys and has done a twelve-year study into their ethnology and role within the eco-system. In the Limpopo Province, where the Sanctuary is based and most actively involved, the project has already seen a positive change in attitudes towards primates, particularly the vervet monkey.

The Sanctuary has had a lot of publicity and accolades in South Africa. It was the third nomination for the AUDI TERRA NOVA CONSERVATION AWARD in 2000 and received the CARE CENTRE award in 2002. A registered non-profit organization, the Vervet Monkey Sanctuary receives no government or major corporate support, and is reliant on the generosity of concerned individuals and animal welfare groups to continue their work.

Cute Monkey Pics!!

monkey facts

• The monkeys of the world are divided into two groups: the Old World monkeys of Africa and Asia and the New World monkeys of Central and South America
• A group of monkeys is called a troop
• All monkeys like to be clean so they have a barber monkey clean out their fur, the barber monkeys reward is the bugs in his customer's hair.
• In sexual and dominance displays vervet monkeys run the gamut from shaking branches and jumping around to making a hard 'kek-kek-kek' sound to mark their territories.
• A monkey will chew gum for a few seconds, but then it will take it out and stick it in it's hair.
• Young Spider Monkeys like skydiving! They'll climb into a tree about 20 meters off the ground and jump off.
• A monkey was once tried and convicted for smoking a cigarette in South Bend, Indiana