Ververt Monkey: Cercopithecus aethiops
Characteristics
Weight and Height
males: wt 12-20 lb (5.5-9 kg), hbl 20 in (49 cm)
females: wt 9 lb (4.1 kg), hbl 18 in (45 cm)
Color
Silver-gray to olive-,yellow-, or reddish green; white/yellowish underparts; black face, ears, and extremities; pink eyelids;
General Location
Most Northern and Southern Savanna and arid zones from Sudan to the Cape. Ververts are widely spread throughout Africa and can be found in most National Parks or Reserves. Ververts are infamous for being pests at campsites and lodges.
Habitat
The ververt monkey prefers woodlands of all kinds, but favors woodlands adjacent to grassland. Ververts feed on all kinds of fruits, seeds, seedpods, leaves, buds, sap, flowers, herbs, and grasses. It will also eat things like lizards, birds eggs, and insects.
Activity
The ververt monkey is considered a diurnal mammal. Usually active in the early morning and late afternoon, but activity peaks vary depending on factors such as: habitat, predation, abundance of food and water.
On average, the ververt will range approximately 350 to 2600 yd, but have been known to range as far as 11 mi per day (18 km/day) during the dry season.
Social Systems
Troops of monkeys average approximately 11 members; 2 adult males, 4 adult females, and 5 young. In most areas the density is 230/sq. mi (89/sq. km). In other regions, troops with 8 to 50 members (25 being the average) were found. These troops were composed of 1 to 8 adult males which occupy territories ranging from 45-189 acres (24-76 ha).
Reproduction
There are generally mating peaks during the dry season and birth peaks after the rainy season of October to December. The gestation period is 165 days and most females begin breeding by the age of 4.
Predators
Eagles, leopard, serval, cheetah, lion, and snakes.
<
