This edition of the newsletter is dedicated to a very special monkey called Regus - the first monkey - the reason the Vervet Monkey Foundation was born.

Regus sadly passed away on Friday 26th September 2008, at the age of 19yrs. Although we all know the time will eventually come, it doesn't stop the pain when something as wondeful as him leaves your life. I was lucky enough to be able to spend some time with Regus whilst he was up at Goliath enclosure and am very glad I got to know him.

Dave has written an article about the mischievous side of Regus to remember him for the character he was, along with some photos of him in his younger days!

Ian Sheridan, Daniel Grove, Sarita Gulati, Eva Klein, Simon Taylor, Michaela Rowley, Dawn Wicks, Fanny Bollaerts, Karolynn Parker, Carolyn Garrison

It all began on Sunday Morning - December 1989...

It was not really a very special day - typical hot South African weather, I was helping my father out on his farm in  the Duiwelskloof Mountains (Modjajikloof). We had just got back from shopping when one of our labourers called me over saying he had found this thing in the bush, I walked over and had a look - in his hands was the smallest little creature wet and shivering and still had a piece of its umbilical cord attached and so I met Regus.

Regus was a real character giving us a hard time in the beginning just trying to get him to eat, frantic phone calls where made to nature conservation the JHB zoo and finally Skukuza camp in Kruger where we managed to get hold of a vet who recommended baby formula. Although Regus was not keen on this, he took small quantities that kept him going until finally we worked out a mixture with a teaspoon of honey in his bottle which seemed acceptable and kept him quiet – it did not take long for Regus to become mobile throwing little tantrums when he wanted his bottle, later learning to fling it at you when he was hungry!

There were always moments with Regus like the day he got hold of my Mom’s bra and ran up a pine tree with it, he left it there for everyone to see! He used to terrorise my Grandmother jumping on her and pinching her glasses when she was trying to read, so I bought a whole lot of plastic spiders and snakes to cover my Gran with to keep Regus away!

He was quite adventurous and went canoeing with us on the Tzaneen Dam only to get to an island in the middle, jump off and refuse to come back having lots of fun diving into the water and swimming around, he use to hold his breath and swim under water then come jump on you all wet. He even went down the waterfall on a tube at Agatha and use to love playing in the forests when I went to clean up bee sites.

He used to love watching TV at night as long as there was nothing aggressive like fighting or shouting as this would upset him. When he was sleeping on the bed and you disturbed him he would turn around and slap you or gently put his teeth on your arm to let you know you disturbing him.

He was also full of mischief - we had the chief of police come round on a regular basis to buy honey from us and one day he left his window open and Regus managed to get hold of his wallet. When we came back outside there were hundred rand notes lying around everywhere! Cars became a great game to him – if he could see the window was slightly open on a stopped car, he would grab glasses off people’s face’s and run up a tree just biting the little rubber nose piece’s off or grabbing ladies earrings and chewing them up.

Down at our honey farm he soon learnt to visit the neighbours which was an old age home and used to grab their knitting unthreading everything they were busy with or run around their room knocking ornaments off the shelves - yes he soon got very naughty and we unfortunately had to confine him to our home and only take him out to places where there were no people. This was not his fault though – he was a monkey and due to the unfortunate circumstances which would have otherwise lead to his death – we had no other choice than to keep him this way so we didn’t blame him and we were none the wiser at the time.

He gave us a big scare one day when he escaped and had us chasing him for hours, just running far enough in front of us and waiting till we got close and then he was off again.  Fortunately he made an error and ran up a telephone pole so I managed to grab his tail and bring him back home to safety. I don’t think he would have gone far as he knew us too well but I was concerned for his safety.

Yes Regus was quite something and brought a lot of joy and frustration into our lives and won’t easily be forgotten. He leaves behind the whole foundation and thousands of monkeys that he stood up for and fought to get them all recognised and removed from the vermin list so they can also have their place in the sun.

Thanks to Regus coming into the hands of dedicated, caring people, the Vervet Monkey Foundation was born and set up as a sanctuary to provide other orphaned vervets a place to be cared for and rehabilitated into natural enclosures. The Foundation has come a long way from the mischievous of Regus and much has been learnt from his behaviour. He also showed us why vervet monkeys must not be kept as pets, many of which end up in our care once they reach a certain age.

Dave and myself have recently returned from our holiday in Spain not only visiting family but also taking part in an amazing detox week. The week was not only beneficial to us but we are also able to apply some of what we’ve learnt to benefit the monkeys.

Having worked in animal health and nutrition for over 4 years prior to coming to the Vervet Monkey Foundation, it has always been a strong interest of mine. I have seen how certain foods can help heal the body and how others can be damaging especially during times of illness and during different veterinary conditions.

One thing that was specifically emphasized on the week was the importance of live foods – sprouts & flowers. Seeds, legumes, and nuts that have been soaked in water, rinsed daily for a few days so they germinate (I’m not talking brussel sprouts!). This process predigests the seeds and hugely increases its nutrient content so it becomes a very digestible alkaline food.

Feeding at the germination stage is natural and means we can provide the greatest quantities of useable and digestible nutrients, enzymes and energy.

• Nutrients can increase up to 2000% at the germination stage.
• Sprouts have huge amounts of antioxidants including Vitamin A, B, C and E along with minerals, fibre, chlorophyll, enzymes (increase by 6-20% during sprouting), protein (increases by 15-30% during sprouting), RNA & DNA as well as several immune boosting and anti-carcinogenic phytochemicals.
• They provide more oxygen (chlorophyll carries O2) and therefore more energy
• Boost immunity
• Increase vitality
• Slow down the ageing process
• Gently detoxify the body
• Provide good soluble fibre to aid digestion
• Enzymes in sprouts are able to digest 5-75% of the food on their own rather than use the bodies limited supply of own enzymes

The life force energy of a healthy human body resonates at approx 70MHZ. Below 50MHZ, the body starts to become diseased. A cancer tumour resonates at 40MHZ or below. The energy content of sprouts if 150MHZ and flowers at 300MHZ so giving a high energy food source such as the sprouts can really help keep disease at bay and enhance overall wellness.

Thanks to Hilde & Indy, we have managed to do some trials on favourite sprouts. We have tried sunflower seeds, alfalfa, chickpeas and lentils – lentils came out tops, closely followed by chickpeas! The monkeys in sickbay have been getting sprouts at least every alternate day. This learning process may help prevent disease and help monkeys recover quicker in captivity when their access to germinated seeds is minimal. Dave and myself have also been round each evening trialling the sprouts on monkeys at Goliath and Maroela and Vicky has now started introducing them to all monkeys who don’t have access to naturally germinating seeds.

The good news about sprouting is it costs no more to sprout the legumes, seeds and nuts than it does to buy them as they are – all it takes is a few mins each day to rinse them in water twice a day and the nutrient content is increased by up to 2000%. They usually take a few days to sprout depending on the climate.

From a charity and economical point of view – if we can keep the monkeys in our care full of vitality and health by providing those that may not be able to travel their usual distance to obtain natural foods such as sprouts and seed pods, then not only will they be able to live life to the full but also fight off illness and recover quicker therefore saving long term costs.

One thing I have learnt from veterinary medicine, animal nutrition and my own health is looking at the animal as a whole is so important – treating for parasites, nutrition, deficiencies, digestion, liver, along with necessary veterinary treatment is vital for the immune system to fight disease and to get well. Homeopathy if used in addition to these things may also help aid recovery.

• A few anti-parasitic / antibacterial foods:
  Cranberries
  Pumpkin seeds
  Pineapple
  Paw Paw
  Garlic
  Onion

Bread on the other hand is acidic and the gluten can take 2 weeks to leave the body so can clog up the digestive system. Sugar as we know it - we can pretty much class as a poison as it can encourage bacteria, parasites to grow as well as depleting the immune system. If the gut is not healthy where the immune system starts then it is obvious to say - the rest of the body will suffer at some stage.

In the human world we have lost the reasons why we eat – we are supposed to ‘eat to live’ not ‘live to eat’. Food is our body’s fuel so the term ‘you are what you eat’ or more correctly ‘you are what you absorb’ is not to be looked upon lightly. We are lucky with animals that they generally choose what’s good for them such as vervets in the wild choosing seed pods unless animals are given otherwise unnatural foods or become domesticated. Unfortunately, the soil is also not what it used to be and is depleted in many minerals such as selenium due to years of pollution therefore nutrition deficiencies can be commonplace even when eating a ‘healthy diet’.

Needless to say, we will also start adding sprouts to the salads for the volunteers on occasions!

We have also started a mealworm project to help enrich the monkey’s lives but we’ll save that for another time….

A brief thank you to Hilde who made our trip possible by looking after the house and Rubin!

Donations of dried lentils, seeds and nuts are all welcome!

References: Jem Friar N.C, Detox International

Although we have come far, we still have a long way to go and won’t give up the fight. In 2005, the foundation successfully managed to remove the vervet monkey from the vermin list to be classed as ‘normal game’. This still means the vervet can be shot with a permit and therefore needs further protection. We are hoping to work on education programmes, focus on monkey patrol and awareness to prevent the monkeys becoming orphans and therefore ending up with us in the first place.

We had a visit from Zena Toose, a member of PASA (Pan African Sanctuaries Alliance), to evaluate and establish how we can move forward with the needs of the foundation at present. We would like to thank Zena and PASA for all their support and their help with moving forward so far.

To help progress, along with our usual volunteers, we need the following volunteer help asap:

Permanent Vet – needed for sickbay

Monkey Patrol / Census – we need someone to run our monkey patrol and census – this involves visiting places where monkeys are accused of causing problems and coming up with solutions to prevent a death sentence. We also need a team to collect data and follow up a couple of troops of monkeys so we can show they are in decline. Someone who can write up scientific reports is essential to this project. Perhaps this would interest those qualified in zoology or those who would like to write a thesis on the study.

Construction team – needed solely for electrified perimeter fence and building new enclosures. Before applying - this is not to work hands on with monkeys but to complete urgent construction projects. (until completion)

Please contact info@vervet.za.org if you have a serious interest and the skills needed for these positions.

List of items urgently needed:
Ketamine injection
23G needles
Vacutainer needles 21G
Syringes
Boxes of gloves
Microchips
Microchip scanner
Masks
Scrub suits / overalls
Chest freezer

Construction:
Poles
Electric fence material
Wire

Other items we use generally:
Panacur de-worming liquid
Droncit injection or similar for tapeworm
Dried lentils, dried chickpeas, nuts, seeds, dried cranberries
Protexin
Fruit / vegetables
Rakes, shovels, wheelbarrows
Surgical instruments
Babymilk - Lactogen
Bottles, blankets, kitten teats, baby teats
Herbal / homeopathic remedies / vitamin supplements

If you can help donate any of these items, please contact info@vervet.za.org

It's 5:30 in the morning and an irritating bleeping noise seems to be coming from something in my tent. Taryn rolls over, and mutters "monkey census time" as she turns off the alarm. I grunt as enthusiastically as you can at 5:30 in the morning after one too many beers on the veranda last night, pull on my work clothes and kiss her goodbye, as she pushes me out of the tent so she can get back to sleep.

At least it's nice and cool that early in the morning, as Michaela, Sreet and I all amble over to sickbay and meet Ryan for our first day of monkey census. He explains to us that he wants to spend the day following Rabi's troop, learning a bit about their behaviour, calls, routes they take, food they eat, how many are in the troop, how to count them by age and gender. Sleepiness disappears at this point and we start to get excited about the day ahead and what we might see.

We find the troop near the cottage, on their way up the side of firewatch hill past Dave and Josie's house. We crash into the bush after them, getting covered in scratches (a few nice scabs for the vervets to pick at later) and stopping now and again so that we don't get too close. It's a very different experience following what is essentially a wild troop, to going into one of the enclosures. It’s a very humbling experience, us crashing through the undergrowth slowly, whilst the monkeys bounce almost weightlessly through the branches nearby.

We sit half way up the side of firewatch hill behind the cottage, watching the hierarchy of the troop in the lead, resting in a tree full of tasty flowers and seeds, telling off any youngsters who try to join them, though most are content to chase each other through the trees lower down the hill, showing off and teaching each other in equal measure. Sitting there, we can hear at least a dozen different bird calls. Ryan points this out to us, reminding us that a lot of people claim that vervets kill all the local birdlife, yet here we are surrounded by vervets and birds on a hillside in South Africa.

Over the course of the next week, we follow the troop all around the foundation. We count 86 members one morning, as the troop exits the front gate to play and feed in the trees lining the road. Included in that 86 are 16 healthy and playful babies, with a few still to come.

I’d like to say a quick thank you if I may, to all the people I have met here, and for the opportunity to spend time here with all the monkeys. It’s been an amazing experience and I still have another 7 weeks left!

UK t-shirts - VMF logo front print only

• Ladies fitted t-shirts - available in ice blue or black, S, M, L
  
  
• Men's v-neck t-shirts - available in steel blue or black, S, M, L, XL

They are high quality and on sale for 13 pounds each plus P&P. Please e-mail josie@vervet.za.org if you would like one posted to you. Payment can be made to our UK account once your order is placed. All profits raised will go directly to current projects.

Thank you to Jo Turner for storing and posting the t-shirts.

Postcards

(Soon to be available in SA - R10 each or R80 for 10
Thank you to all who sent photos in for the postcards. The photos used were taken by:

Nicole Mclelland - baby on branch, Royal troop
Alan Hughes - purple sunset
Sean Smart - sunset on back of postcard

All the above names will be sent a postcard when they arrive.

Thank you to Andy Tinker photography who ended up donating the entire cost of the postcards to raise money for the vervets. Thank you also to Deb Simpson (previous Volunteer Supervisor) who initiated the contact with Andy.

Donations this month:

• Eileen Goersdorf (previous volunteer) sent a box of pens, surgical scissors for sickbay
• Carolynn Garrisson (volunteer) – blankets, surgical gloves, surgical trays, instruments, kidney dishes, emergency light, culture pots, blood pressure guage, masks, swabs, syringes and more

Once again it’s been a terrific month with lots of activity going on up at Goliath. This month I’m pleased to report the continuation of Kallina’s integration who is doing famously well out in the enclosure. She still needs to have the security of home life at the moment however she is itching to get out every day, pacing at the door in anticipation of a day out in our luscious enclosure which let me tell you is looking beautiful after our first couple of rains. Everybody is snatching up the new shoots and leaves which are now growing at a rate of nots, together with our fig tree which is producing an abundance of fruit time and time again.  At this rate Kallina will be out eating delicious food full time in the not too distant future.

Also enjoying the enclosure are Delah and Tiny who have been going out on a daily basis in to the enclosure for the past 3 weeks and loving life. The troop are not too sure what to make of this pair as needless to say they are slightly ‘cocky’, belting out and strutting their stuff, Tiny recently has even been taking on Wilma, Camilla and Hartley all at once! Brave girl but we have to watch her quite closely just to make sure she doesn’t get too above her station! Delah on the other hand is definitely more reserved, she still parades around but is not as sure of herself, sprinting back in at the first signs of trouble, leaving Tiny to scream and have a little tantrum by herself. You aught to see her and Schlinky together, they definitely make a good pair with their sulks.

Finally I’d like to report the exciting news of Wilma’s new baby, now just over 2 weeks old it’s looking beautiful, very healthy, very strong and already jumping around trying to duck out of the arms of all the other would be mums who want a wee hold.

Anyway Goliath fans that’s it for another month, I hope to see some of you back here in the not too distant future in order that you can help once again in the development of Goliath.

Angi Bowles, Ahkeam Rawlinson, Hayley Cooper, Aisling O'Neil, Maria Pade, Oliver Sheridan, Leah-Marie Hooper, Gemma Valens, Sophie Clarke, Mercedes Wilson, Taryn Ryan, Rob Tuppen, Kathleen Oliver, Kelly Beharry, Ermilinde Zweers, Enrico Grespan, Pia Nordskaug, Alyssa Scott, Hellen Bersacola (return), Natalie Caillault.