Monkeys on Chebutie Camp

Continuing with my post on the monkeys around the camp, yesterday I captured pictures of a female and her very small baby. The sight of a mother with a baby is enough to soften any heart. During the spring and summer months here in the valley, there were lots of monkey mothers with babies clutching their undercarriages. I marvel at how they manage to hold as the mothers swing from tree to tree, scamper up steep banks and along rocky paths. But they do. Yesterday I did what I never do (well, not often, LOL!): I fed this monkey. At first I found two tomatoes in the fridge: one for the other monkeys watching me, and one for mama-monkey. I hurled each tomato onto the roof and before they could rolll off, the mother monkey grabbed hers, ran to the apex of the roof and proceeded to eat it. In the early morning sun, this made a perfect picture. A second monkey  grabbed the second tomato and sat a distance away eating it while watching me!

I came indoors to the pantry. Opening a large container of  Grant's Ginger Nuts, I took out a celophane packet containing four cookies. Outside I broke each piece in half and threw the first one up on the roof.

The blue vervet mother monkey with a tiny baby hanging onto her undercarriage (The older monkey in the bottom photo is always with her; perhaps offspring from last season?)

Mama-monkey  - obviously waiting for me  - grabbed the cookie and brought it to her mouth. The baby, still downy-headed, looked up as if asking for a share.

I just love the way this baby reached up and tried to share mum's tidbit

Isn't it just too cute ?

The babies latch onto a teat while hanging on under mum. Milk-on -tap, as it were!

I'm protected by my mum!

I fed mama- monkey two-and-a half biscuits and the  remaining ones to the other monkeys who'd gathered around on the roof!

So there you have it. It's actually taboo (an unwritten law on camp) to feed these animals but having done this, I wanted to share the beautiful photos with you!