It all started in 1995 as an educational awareness organisation and over the years, the project grew around to incorporate the need for rescue and care of Vervet Monkeys who are not protected enough by provincial and national government legislation. In 2015 when the holding facilities at the main property proved not to be large enough, a lease was secured for 10 hectares on a tribal nature reserve in the countryside, which is where the larger adult Vervet monkeys were rehabilitated in troops until recently until a better property was secured to accommodate the nursery, juvenile monkeys in phase 1 of the rehabilitation process and the adult troops in the rehabialtion enclosures. Those monkeys in high care are kept here too and for the future, we hope an onsite clinic.
The project responds to more than 1000 rescue callouts every year – and sometimes up to ten callouts every day. Vervet Monkey injuries range from wounds sustained during fights with other monkeys, dog bites, being run over by motor vehicles, electrocution, being snared, trapped or poisoned, being shot with air (pellet) guns, catapults, paint-ball guns and firearms and being caught-up or injured on security razor-wire and many do not make it.
Many of the rescues- especially in the peak baby season from October to January - are babies or juveniles who are orphaned or injured when mother monkeys are attacked by dogs or other monkeys or are severely injured or killed in human-related incidents.
Over eighty percent of the monkeys that are rescued, irrespective of the reason why, have got air gun pellets lodged in their bodies. A number of rescues each year concern monkeys who are simply sick, debilitated by illness, and once treated and recovered they are easily, but correctly, released back into their home territory.
Rescue callouts originate from members of the public, other animal care organisations, veterinary practices, the police, various municipal offices, etc.
On any given day, the project has many monkeys in its home-based, “high care” facility.
What we do
All rescued monkeys are cared for in the “high care” facility after first being taken to a veterinary doctor. Once they have recovered from their injuries these monkeys are released back into their home territory or transferred to the wildlife rehabilitation centre or placed in the primate sanctuary
The project carries out rescues 24-hours a day, 365 days a year and…..
- carry out or coordinate primate rescues.
- assist with Vervet sanctuary, neonatal care and rehabilitation.
- distribute information/educational leaflets including doing talks at schools and to other interested groups.
- lobby on behalf of Vervets and for the protection of indigenous wildlife habitat
- encourage people to plant the indigenous trees and shrubs that provide food and shelter for Vervets and numerous other indigenous animals.
- fundraise to cover the cost of rescues, veterinary treatment, high-care and rehabilitation.
- assist people who are having problems with monkeys.
- assist residential and golfing estates, hotels, casinos, businesses, restaurants and B&B’s where monkeys are a “problem”
- advise and assist with the establishment of feeding stations.
- organise and carry out snare sweeps.
….. so there is a lot of work for you as a volunteer to assist with!
Important: We require either a negative result from a Mantoux test which is for Tuberculosis or a letter from your doctor stating you are vaccinated for Tuberculosis. It’s just to keep the baby monkeys protected as they are so vulnerable to diseases we might carry.
