The Vervet Monkey is an invasive species on St. Maarten. The Nature Foundation has conducted a Monkey Management research project to determine the abundance of Vervet Monkey’s on St. Maarten.
Distribution and Origin
Native to Africa, the vervet monkey was introduced to various countries throughout the Caribbean, North, Central and South America. The vervet monkey was likely introduced around the world due to pet trade. It is highly adaptable to almost any conditions, preferring semi-deciduous forests, making it an invasive species in multiple countries.
Diet
Fruit, vegetables, leaves and insects make up most of the vervet monkey’s diet. However, on occasion it has been seen to eat birds and bird eggs.
Breeding
Vervet monkeys are polygynous, females have few mates throughout their lifetime, whereas males will have numerous mates. Reproduction typically begins after five years of age, with the gestation period lasting approximately five and a half months. Female vervets typically have one pregnancy a year.
Monkey Management Project
The Nature Foundation St. Maarten conducted a six-month research project funded by Resources for Community Resilience (R4CR). The project studied the invasive population of vervet monkey’s on the island. The results from this project included the estimated population size, the populated area’s, and the Nature Foundation’s suggestions on control. The project results are listed on our website.
You must be logged in to post a comment.