Werribee Open Range Zoo’s troop of Vervet monkeys are taking Melbourne’s chilly conditions in their stride, leaping into the treetops to dine on a picnic feast.
The nimble primates are masterfully scaling crossing-ladders and five-metre-tall trees in high winds to reach hanging baskets filled with an assortment of tasty treats.
Werribee Open Range Zoo African river trail keeper Kieralie Braasch said encouraging the monkeys to climb in challenging conditions replicates what the species experiences in the wild.
“Vervet monkeys are a semi-arboreal species, which means they do a lot of foraging both on the ground and in trees,” Ms Braasch said.
“Any opportunity to practise climbing in the wind is important as this helps the monkeys maintain and build their muscle and joint strength to safely navigate those high-reaching areas.”
Ms Braasch said the curious monkeys enthusiastically tuck into their treats.
“The baskets can be filled with a variety of grains, seeds, nuts and leafy branches,” Ms Braasch said.
“On occasion, we also provide other delicious treats like rice bubbles. These simulate the texture of grains and seeds and the sweet taste of fruits they’d encounter in the wild.
“The Vervets also enjoy when we smear peanut butter on surfaces throughout their habitat too.”
The species’ habitat ranges across eastern Africa, from the Ethiopian Highlands and southern Somalia, to southern-most South Africa. While they are considered locally abundant in some regions, populations are declining due to habitat destruction, with the monkeys now absent from large areas of their original geographic range.
Werribee Open Range Zoo’s nine Vervet monkeys are an ambassador species for Zoos Victoria’s Coffee for Wildlife initiative providing caffeine-loving Melburnians with a delicious way to help save wildlife.
Visitors are able to see the troop of Vervet monkeys along the zoo’s African river trail.
