The Incredible Way Of Communicating Of The Green Monkey
The green vervet is a little known species, despite having an extraordinary way of communicating, and is one of the animals to which we owe the most as regards modern medicine. Many of them have been used for vaccine development.
Nowadays this phenomenon is less and less widespread, and animals have been replaced by cell cultures. This ensures that this primate is no longer captured for this purpose and, although they are used as pets in the United States, it is one of the few monkeys not at risk of extinction.
This vervet, called green for its golden color but with greenish areas, is very particular. It was found that he communicates in a similar way in many aspects to the human being.
The green monk’s way of communicating
It is one of the best known examples of animal communication, and was studied in the 1980s in the Amboseli National Park, in Africa. What the researchers discovered was something revolutionary for the time, namely that this monkey emitted specific warning sounds for each predator.
Specifically, three calls have been identified, which lead to three strategies: alert vocalizations for leopards, snakes and birds of prey, which are easily distinguishable even by people.
It has been observed that the peculiarities of these calls depended on the experience of the animal, and although they are instinctive vocalizations, the recognition of dangers is linked to learning.
Green vervet pups and young specimens easily confuse large birds, such as the stork, with a predator, and alert the group as if it were a bird of prey. Little by little they will learn to recognize them, while the adults are able to distinguish the vultures from the rest of the birds of prey, since the latter are necrophages and do not hunt only this species.
Different calls, different answers
These calls trigger several responses; the first is to check the zone from which the alarm started. If it is a danger like a leopard, these monkeys climb trees by placing themselves on the branches furthest from the trunk, which the animal cannot reach due to its weight.
However, if it is a snake, the green vervet stands on two legs, ready to jump in case of an attack and to move away from the area while trying to locate danger. In the case of eagles, this primate will observe the sky and try to hide in the vegetation.
The green monkey also gives warning signals to other dangerous primates such as baboons, but also to humans.
This is an important factor since this species is considered a plague in many areas of Africa, and has a conflicting relationship with humans. Unfortunately, some specimens die from abuse, from attacks by dogs or even from poisoning.
