The Wild Troop
The sanctuary hosts a unique method of rehabilitation in so much that there are no enclosures here, there are 23 vervet monkeys that have all learnt to live together and have formed a very stable group.
They learn from each other how to become wild monkeys again, the older monkeys teach the younger ones alarm calls ,and one lesson that needs to be learnt is how to stay safe from predators i.e.birds the eagles love nothing more than a young baby monkey that is why there is always one adult female looking after the babies. When large birds are heard the monkeys look up and alert each other to the dangers, one thing they never seem to have to learn is how to forage it seems to come naturally and they are constantly foraging around the ground., this is great to see as this type of foraging can never be replicated in an enclosure
They are fed via feeding platforms this is necessary as the area that they are occupying at the moment would not have enough food to sustain them, they are however gradually becoming brave enough to move further into the bush if they ever do move away they would be able to live comfortably, there are several wild troops in the bush, two of which I have observed. Food is placed on these platforms twice a day and one wild male monkey comes every morning to feed he is gradually earning acceptance into the group.
During the day they occupy themselves around the area and particularly enjoy playing in the pool that is meant for the ducks, these monkeys will only swim if they can see the bottom so every time the hose is put on to give the ducks clean water the monkeys get there first.
it is also quite incredible that wherever you sit a monkey will appear you may think you are alone and can catch a quick cup of coffee in peace but they seem to have eyes in the back of their heads and appear instantly.
The group consists of three adult male, four juvenile male and three infant male the rest being female and two female infant.
They will have their morning feed and then any youngsters that have been indoors overnight because of the cold weather in winter will join the troop, .Ngome at the moment goes out after his morning bottle and is foster nursed by one of the females within the nursery group. The females who have babies take it in turns to look after the youngsters.This is why this is unique any new monkey whether it be baby or an older monkey will be accepted readily into the group, the way this is done is from an enclosure, The monkeys spend as much time as necessary in the enclosure until they are old or well enough to go outside, during this period the wild troop will have investigated the new arrivals and got to know them very rarely do they object to a new member joining them
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Babies get used to the group by communicating from the grilled doors inside the house and once they start going out with the troop are only bought in when the weather is cold, they have very little humanization and any that they do have is always with only one person.
And so it goes on, once this troop has moved away into the bush and no longer needs supplementary feeding another group will start to form.
