Work at the VMF never stops - there are so many dedicated people helping and supporting the vervets for which we are truly grateful.

Many changes have been put in place to improve the quality of the monkey's lives. Firstly, we have split the foundation into sections - Top, Middle, Bottom & sickbay area. This has enabled the volunteers to give other monkeys the time and care needed outside of the integration troops.

Secondly, a new task to the rota has been added called 'snacks' where mid - morning, volunteers go around giving out some nuts / piece of fruit or veg to all the monkeys on that section with a sprinkle of protexin to boost their immunity. They also collect grass for the monkeys and give it out to all. This additional task has ensured every single monkey on the foundation gets the care they deserve, being one of the most favourite jobs, as it's very rewarding to see the monkeys vocalise with excitement.

Thirdly, we have set up another job called rehydration and treatments - for the monkeys who have been sick recently, this has been helping all those that aren't in sickbay be treated in their own cages. The monkeys are given a mix of natural raw honey and himalayan crystal sole (salt water) in water to replace lost minerals and nutrients. In addition they have been given psyllium husks and are now on a nutrition powder and Vitamin C daily in addition to any veterinary treatments. A special thank you must go to Heather and Fiona here who really dedicated their time to start the task off.

There has been the arrival of some new primate food in pellet form to ensure the monkeys have added nutrition in a complete food during monitoring as well as their sprouts, seeds, nuts, fruit & vegetables and vegetation. So far, most are liking it.

Another task introduced at sickbay is called 'special care' which is something a volunteer called Leanne has taken on - this involves spending extra time with those monkeys around sickbay ensuring all aspects of their lives are enriched to the full. Working with some of these monkeys can be heartbreaking so it takes a very special person with lots of love to give. Krissy has also been taking on some of the special care on Leanne's day off.

More branches have been collected for the introduction cages around the foundation. All in all - there have been many changes for the benefit of the monkeys and there will be much more to come - but as they say 'Rome wasn't built in a day!'

We welcome Romain Lacoste (a veterinarian from France) to our team until June. Romain has been very busy with tb testing (funded by PASA) along with Martine (a vet from Hoedspruit) for all our monkeys aswell as analysis of faecal samples and much more for which we are extremely grateful.

We also welcome Ryan Gibbs (Volunteer Co-ordinator) to our team who arrived in the last couple of days. More to come in our next newsletter.

Lastly, Skinnie Minnie does it again - always out of season, Skinnie has given birth to a beautiful baby this month (baby season is usually Nov - Feb!). She's finding it tough with it being born in the middle of mating season and the baby is very small but she's a good mum and very protective so we hope this one survives against the odds.

We have so much to achieve this year and need your help & support as always.

Welcome:
Mark Leyland, Leanne Cairns, Linzi Bork, Sean Hooton, Ashley Chance, Romain Lacoste, Sasha Gottlieb, Meredith Ross, Helen Van Dam, Cara Maunsell, Michelle Hill, Karen Norrgren, Bice Herold, Colin Taylor, Katie Lively, Ryan Gibbs.

Welcome back:
Ian Sheridan

If walking 90 miles is a bit of a mad thing to decide to do, then doing it having just been diagnosed with a virus and a mild case of vertigo, is probably just plain stupid. In fact the walk didn’t get off to the best of starts. On the morning of departure, I left the map in the kitchen and then my dad managed to lock us out of the house. After lifting my mother in a highly undignified fashion over the back fence, the map was retrieved and we were finally on our way.

The route I was taking is a UK national trail called The Ridgeway. Dating back to Neolithic times, it’s now a well established and popular hiking route, running through The Chiltern Hills and West Sussex Downs – both of which are designated areas of outstanding natural beauty. Having never walked more than 16 miles in a day before and certainly not two days in a row, I knew I was in for a bit of a challenge.

Day one took a winding route up and down hills, with stunning views of English countryside in the process of withdrawing from wintery reverie, and yawning its way into a beautiful early spring. I walked about 21 miles, finally reaching White Horse Hill, atop which I pitched my tent in a bitterly cold wind and settled down for the night feeling quite exhausted. Having failed to find anywhere to buy dinner, I resorted to eating tomorrow’s breakfast – cold long life beans and sausages. This wasn’t the most inspiring meal to end the day with, but a chocolate bar and warm sleeping bag to crawl into made up for it.

The second day started with a beautiful sunrise warming a misty, cold landscape and refreshing me, ready for the day ahead. I set off at 6am and by 9am was sat looking out over the “Devil’s Bowl”, a huge indenture in the landscape, watching buzzards riding the morning thermals as I made a cup of almost-warm coffee. I spent most of the walk that day admiring lapwings, showing off to try and attract a mate with their erratic flying displays and strange bleeping calls. At the end of the day, I found a lovely secluded spot in some woodland, where a thick patch of bushes had grown into a tunnel of foliage, perfect shelter to put my tent up, where the sighing boughs and scuffling noises of small animals helped me drift off to sleep.

The third day was my one day of luxury, where, after 20 miles of almost non-stop walking, I arrived in Watlington, where I booked myself in at a campsite for the night. The skies were positively teeming with my favourite bird of prey, the red kite. Almost extinct in England not so long ago, they’re a huge success story in terms of conservation. I must’ve seen at least 30 of them over Watlington alone, and waking up to the sound of them calling as they glided gracefully over the campsite was spectacular.

The following morning, I allowed myself a late start. After a cup of piping-hot coffee, a hearty breakfast and a hot shower to soothe my aching legs, I set off around 11am. A few hours of walking saw me sat on top of Lodge Hill, where I nearly lost my lunch to an marauding spaniel of questionable mental stability, before his owner turned up and eventually managed to drag him away. A few hours and some very gruelling hills later, I hiked past Chequers (The Prime Minister’s country home) and arrived at the top of Coombe Hill. I found a sheltered spot to put up the tent with a beautiful view of the lights of Wendover a few hundred feet below. I celebrated my last night on the trail with a snifter (alright two) of brandy and slept very well.

Day five and a minor disaster. Passing through Wendover in the morning, I left my camera in a public toilet, and didn’t realise until 4 miles further down the trail! Then, just as it began to rain, I realised I’d lost my compass. I was beginning to feel rather disheartened at this point, but a phone call from Lisa (whom most of you will know from sickbay) cheered me up no end. I carried on towards the finish.

Reaching the top of one of the last hills, a ferocious wind kicked up and freezing rain came hurtling in sideways, stinging my face. I pushed on to the finish line a mile and a half ahead, where the wind was even stronger, and I had to force my way through it to reach the top of the hill and shout over the sound of it to my dad who had joined me at this point, having miraculously managed to recover my camera for me!

We stood and surveyed the stunning view, our eyes watering in the savage wind, before hobbling back down the hill to the car. Having reached the finish line, my thoughts were mostly of the monkeys and having a very long, hot bath. The walk had been exhausting, but there’s no doubt that the monkeys are worth it!

I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who supported my walk through sponsorship and messages of encouragement. Your generosity has been amazing. I can't wait to see the education centre, and I hope I'll be seeing some of you out there!

The total amount Daniel raised for the education centre is R12,168 – thank you to all those who donated money or put the donation button on their blog profiles. Thank you also to Alasdair Davies who gave us the idea to produce our own sprout button to donate funds easily for specific purposes.

We have ordered the education centre with additional funds from t-shirt sales and it has just arrived this week – it just goes to show what a difference people can make if they get out there and do something such as what Daniel has done. More updates to come in the next newsletters.

On the 26th March, 61 children from Mwaxi-Dahele school visited VMF. It was a blazing hot day and the children sat in the shade of the trees whilst Dave and Edwin gave an introductory talk. Entertainment was provided by volunteer Darren Gallagher who played a specially commissioned song. The refrain “Reta Kabo” (“love monkeys” in Sutu) was a particular hit with the kids, who could be heard singing it throughout the morning.

The first group of 30 children walked around C Block and Royal enclosures, led by Lorna and Annette. We made our way down to SAAV where the monkeys were lured out of the shade by handfuls of corn. The children were able to have a good look at the vervets, without getting too close to the electric fence.

After a stroll in the heat, we switched with the second group and settled down at the cottage for a cool drink and a viewing of the infamous Street Monkeys. The on-screen action was given supplementary narration by Tom and Edwin, and proceedings were overseen by Blossom at the window, waiting for the snacks to be brought out (both she and I were disappointed on that point). I spoke to one of the older children, Zunan (13), who has always loved animals. After seeing some of the VMF monkeys he is particularly fond of vervets. “I like these monkeys and I like this place. I would like to come back.” The children were obviously keen to see the monkeys, but less keen to talk to some strange woman (me) about them, even with Edwin translating. I managed to persuade 8-year-old Rix to tell me his thoughts, even without resorting to bribery. “I love the monkeys, especially the one with three legs. I know not to feed the monkeys because they should live in the wild.” Hopefully once the Education Centre is up and running there will be many more children like Rix, spreading the good word of VMF.

PASA colouring books and stickers were distributed, and just before lunchtime the school party boarded the bus once again. I chatted to Narry Baluti, one of the school governors who had accompanied the children. She was enthusiastic about her VMF experience, and the musical interlude. “The children love that song, they will be singing it all day. I think all the children love the monkeys here.” She added “I want to tell all the teachers I know about this place so that other children can see it and I hope we can come back soon.”

With plans afoot to expand upon the educational side of VMF, Narry will not be disappointed. I believe that in the future the Foundation will play a vital role in vervet conservation and local understanding, teaching younger children about the importance and beauty of their local wildlife. With education and understanding, these children will be the ones who will safeguard the vervets for generations to come.

Reta Kabo!

Volunteers Annette & Heather have been spending time with Deala this month until she is strong enough to go back into the troop. She had a serious injury but is recovering well - it's remarkable how quickly wounds in wild animals heal. She is quite content and enjoying all the extra fuss & grooming.

The 2 old men at Goliath – Skunkey monkey & Ghosty are getting extra special care this month from our volunteers and the time spent with them really shows. Shadow (an ex-pet) is back up at Goliath and always putting his arms out everytime someone walks past in the hope he may get a friendly groom, he also loves grass to be offered to him. We hope to be able to re-introduce Shadow back into Goliath enclosure at some point where he once was.

Golly is full of health and vitality and has certainly got his spring back which shows during mating season with the female volunteers!

Thank you to Mel who is doing a pristine job looking after Top section at the moment, we are lucky to have such enthusiastic volunteers.

Microchipping of all the monkeys at the foundation has been a subject during many talks over the last couple of months. 

Everybody who has spent time at the foundation knows that we can recognise most of the monkeys by facial features and everybody will have to admit that for the future and the sake of all the animals we do need a reliable source of identification for veterinary procedures as well as to keep records on the history of every single animal.

Well, the microchipping is now no longer only future talk … One email to the manager of the Belgian company called EasyTrac-ID, based in Antwerp, was enough to find this company prepared to donate 500 microchips out of an order of 800, as a means of sponsoring.  This was of course a big help to the foundation.  Thanks to former and present volunteers we also managed to get quite a bit of sponsor money for the other 300 microchips.  A big thank you to everyone !  Each and every €, $ or £ was very much appreciated.

Thank you Hilde for contacting EasyTrac-ID & also a big thank you to Marc Merckx (Hilde's cousin) & Medicor Medical supplies for donating the whole courier costs from Belgium to South Africa.

A week ago I asked Dave if I could write a piece about the most dramatic incident to occur at the VMF in many a long year. He agreed and I find I've been thinking about the incident ever since and it's only today that I feel able to write it.

One lovely sunny morning last week, Dave decided to break with his normal routine and go to Goliath enclosure to speak with a volunteer
who was working there. Now if Dave hadn't broken with his normal routine in order to speak to someone, he wouldn't have been there to hear a scream from the long grass, which was heard by a vol who described it as an unearthly and deeply disturbing cry of terror and anguish. Dave went in the direction of the sound but was unable to see anything in the dense grass. Fortunately, Casey was with him; Dave gave her the command to 'find' and off she went and did so. Dave approached the place she was staring at, and saw a rock python 3 - 4m in length and with a girth the size of a football wrapped around an unconscious Snooze. According to a vounteer when he talked about it later, Dave was nothing short of MAGNIFICENT! He remained completely calm and in total control. He told him to get hold of his tail - (the snake's I mean, not his) - while he put something in the snake's mouth. They managed to release Snooze from literally, the jaws of death! It then took 4 men to carry the monster to 'sick-bay' where he was put in a cage to await collection by a neighbour, who would then release it onto his property.

Over two years ago, Candy and Snooze moved into my cottage, lock stock and barrel, and the relationship I have developed with them is probably the most precious one in my life. They've enriched my life in the ways that only dogs can, their loyalty, devotion, trust and fiercly protective love for me is very humbling and I have to confess I feel equally for them. So if the cavalry hadn't arrived when it did, Snooze would have been no more, and her loss, enormous.

Of course the entire sanctuary cheered her survival - Snooze being quite a star among all the vols - but I feel I have a great deal to thank Dave for. When they first came to live with me, Dave remarked to me one day; 'you're getting quite a little family up there Miss Jackson'. And that's what we've become, the three of us, well 4 now as Lux has moved in since Indy left for England, and 'tis no exageration to say that Dave saved a member of my family. I owe you one Dave; big time.

England may have George and the Dragon, but surely David and Goliath belong to Africa......

Who would have thought after all the years of Dave's jokes of 'Snooze practicing for the python position' it was actually he who came to her rescue!

Visit our website www.vervet.za.org to click to donate.

Cynthia Tretola $50
Brian’s Art for Animals $50
Fleetwood Children’s Centre £40
East Amwell School, USA raised R1562
SA Neutraceutical Suppliers donated 5litres of colloidal silver
EasyTrac-ID for donating 500 microchips
Medicor for donating the entire cost of the courier fee for the microchips
All those who donated towards the extra microchips for the monkeys & who put the microchip button on their facebook profile.
Thiago Lourenco Christofoletti  $10
Mary Ellen Blinn $100
Worldwide Veterinary Service – donated £78.50 worth of veterinary textbooks
Anthony Fama - $10
Lisa Reed - $25
Jennifer Tremblay  $5

Can you help?
We are currently in need of the following items:
Bayer droncit injectable de-wormer
Projector & screen for our new education centre
Face Masks
Latex gloves
Faecal sample pots
Hibiscrub
Digital scales to weigh monkeys (over 5kgs)
Diamond mesh fencing

Please contact info@vervet.za.org if you can help or for a bigger list of items currently needed.

The Vervet Monkey Foundation newsletter goes out to over 1000 people including previous & potential volunteers, volunteer organisations, wildlife organisations and some members of the public. If you would like to advertise in this space, please contact info@vervet.za.org for a price. The fee will help us cover the costs of sending our monthly newsletter so that more money can go towards helping the monkeys.

Ashley Pelley, Marion Leiberich, Katherina Gebbhart, Heather Crombie, Lauren Phillips-Major, Kathryn Hatch, Steve & Annette Clark, Fiona McKenna, Carla Hogg, Linzi Bork, Sean Hooton, Helen Van Dam, Charlotte Matty, Sarah Collins.