This past October, residents of Mount Vernon, a neighborhood in South Africa, heard a commotion and found two troops of vervet monkeys clashing outside a snack shop on their street.
Eventually, the monkeys dispersed. But sadly, in all the pandemonium, they left a baby behind. All alone, the little monkey cried near a light pole, wondering what to do.
Heartbroken community members quickly contacted local wildlife authorities. Soon, officers from Reaction Unit South Africa arrived at the scene.
Finally safe, the monkey clung tightly to his rescuer, his little hands clutching her vest.
Though it may look like the baby is hugging the rescuer lovingly, Lindy Elmes, of Wildlife Rescue, says this is not necessarily the case.
“Young vervets will naturally cling, because clinging is their instinctive survival behaviour,” Elmes told The Dodo. “In the wild, they cling to their mothers continuously for the first months of life. While people often interpret hugging as affection, for primates it is primarily self-soothing and security-seeking.”
Rescuers called Monkey Helpline, which sent an experienced volunteer named Chrissy to foster and care for the baby.
Animal experts wanted the baby to be with other monkeys as soon as possible to avoid imprinting and prepare him for his future in the wild. To that end, Elmes contacted Vervet Valley, a monkey sanctuary, and coordinated the baby’s transfer.
Wildlife Rescue
Today, the little vervet lives at the sanctuary with other rescue monkeys, learning important life skills and preparing for his eventual release.
Elmes is glad that this baby vervet ended up in good hands. She hopes this story encourages community members to look out for wildlife in their area and to take appropriate measures when they see an animal in danger.
“Well-meaning handling can sometimes cause more harm, especially with primates,” Elmes said. “Supporting ethical rehabilitation centers and respecting native wildlife within our shared urban environments goes a long way in preventing conflict and promoting coexistence.”
You can keep up with Wildlife Rescue by following them on Facebook. 
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