Aug 26, 2026 · 17 min · 10 segments
42 The little monkey with the big social life They like to sit over the breakfast table, waiting for the perfect moment—and suddenly the biscuit is gone. In this episode, I'll explain why the vervet…
A male weighs about five kilograms.
The females are a bit lighter.
The fur is gray to grayish green.
The face itself is black.
Around this black face, there is a light, almost white border.
And because of this, vervet monkeys sometimes look a bit like little old men with a stern expression.
And I actually find this light facial frame quite pretty, and it's also important.
It accentuates their facial expressions.
Against the black face, this stands out very strongly.
For other vervet monkeys, this is a clear message.
Watch out, I'm threatening you right now.
If the threat intensifies, the animal opens its mouth and pulls back its lips so that the teeth become visible.
A submissive response, on the other hand, can be a grin with half-closed eyes.
With the vervet monkeys, a lot simply happens through facial expressions.
The adult males are also particularly striking.
They have bright blue scrotums along with a red penis and white fur on the belly and hindquarters.
And for the monkeys, this is a very important signal.
A dominant male often sits there with its legs spread.
The genitals are clearly visible.
The male can also walk with its tail raised or swing its tail to the side.
In this way, it presents the colors of its genitals.
That is communication.
It means, I am an adult, I am strong, I am higher ranking.
A male weighs about five kilograms.
The females are a bit lighter.
The fur is gray to grayish green.
The face itself is black.
Around this black face, there is a light, almost white border.
And because of this, vervet monkeys sometimes look a bit like little old men with a stern expression.
And I actually find this light facial frame quite pretty, and it's also important.
It accentuates their facial expressions.
Against the black face, this stands out very strongly.
For other vervet monkeys, this is a clear message.
Watch out, I'm threatening you right now.
If the threat intensifies, the animal opens its mouth and pulls back its lips so that the teeth become visible.
A submissive response, on the other hand, can be a grin with half-closed eyes.
With the vervet monkeys, a lot simply happens through facial expressions.
The adult males are also particularly striking.
They have bright blue scrotums along with a red penis and white fur on the belly and hindquarters.
And for the monkeys, this is a very important signal.
A dominant male often sits there with its legs spread.
The genitals are clearly visible.
The male can also walk with its tail raised or swing its tail to the side.
In this way, it presents the colors of its genitals.
That is communication.
It means, I am an adult, I am strong, I am higher ranking.
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