Watch The Playful Vervets In Lake Malawi National Park

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In Lake Malawi National Park, the vervets are scientifically called cercopithèque vervet or by the species name Chlorocebus aethiops pygerythrus, but this name seems too adult for these playful monkeys. Vervet monkeys can be identified by facial features, distinguishing markings and colouring. The face, ears, hands, feet and tip of the tail are black, but a conspicuous white band on the forehead blends in with the short whiskers. The males are slightly larger than the females and easily recognized by their turquoise blue scrota and weigh up to 17 pounds. Its tail is usually held up, with the tip curving downward and its arms and legs are approximately the same length. There are four sub-species but Rufoviridis is the species found in Malawi and they are distinctly reddish, darker towards the base of the tail. In East Africa these monkeys can live in mountain areas up to about 13,000 feet, but they do not inhabit rain forests or deserts.

The playful vervets in Lake Malawi National Park's preferred habitat is acacia woodland along streams, rivers and lakes. They are diurnal, sleeping and eating in trees from which they seldom venture. Troops of 10 to 50 individuals mainly consist of adult females and their immature offspring while males move freely in and out of these groups. Within the troop, each adult female is the center of a small family network. Grooming is important and vervets spend several hours a day removing parasites, dirt or other material from one another's fur. They eat wild fruits, berries, flowers, leaves, seeds, seedpods, grasses, lichen, bark, roots, shoots, insects, insect eggs and bird eggs. Camps, chalets and specially-designed family tents serve as accommodation and dinners are sometimes held 'under the stars' in a specially constructed boma. In the Lake Malawi National Park there is a new custom-built education and conference centre and Mvuu Camp offers a wide range of accommodation and activities that include watching the vervet’s antics.