Born Free

Zambia Primate Project (ZPP) continues to give freedom back to vervet monkeys in Northern Kafue National Park in Zambia. The sort of freedom where you see monkeys jumping from tall tree to tall tree, branch to branch, moving from one area to another as they choose, eating types of food they are naturally meant to eat.

When releasing into the wild monkeys that have been in captivity for a very long time, we always have our fingers crossed for what is going to happen next in terms of their behaviour, especially on their final day in the holding enclosure.

Let me share with you the story of one of our vervet monkeys in our release troop, called “Ballas”.

Ballas is one of the sub-adult males in the troop. He is very healthy and proving to be strong and shows that he has a good sense of direction.

A week after release from the holding enclosure, we woke up, went to the site where the monkeys were and to our surprise we found that they were scattered. This behaviour was strange because it was the first time we tracked them all at the same position and as we sat there and were trying to figure out what had happened, and whether an animal had tried to attack them, we realised that Ballas was missing from the troop.

We searched around for him for weeks and weeks but to no avail. Ballas only stayed in the wild with the troop for a week. We had lost hope because we knew he didn’t have the jungle skills to survive on his own. The only hope we had was if only he joins a wild troop, learns their behaviour and the foods they eat, he could perhaps survive. At some point we thought maybe he left the troop because he knew he was becoming an adult and knew the competition ahead of him.

Almost two months passed without Ballas, but then, on 28 January, as we were searching for the big troop, joy and smiles were on everyone’s faces. Ballashad joined alpha female Juliet and her babies. We werequite spooked by how easily she accepted himbecause it had been a long time since they saw each other.

His return raised questions about how he found Juliet. Did he mark the area before he left? How did he survive out there and know the right foods to feed on?

He stayed with Juliet and her two babies, Jumanji and Shishamba and we observed their behaviour. Interestingly, Juliet was proving to be the dominant one – whenever they were fed, Ballas would always hide and only come down when Juliet moved away from the food. Sometimes they slept in the same tree and sometimes not. This kind of behaviour continued until Ballas started to be found with another wild monkey which would run every time he saw us.

Ballas was full of surprises. The other morning we went to check on the big troop only to find that Ballas was among them after two solid months. He moved about 800 metres to find the troop. We were surprised that he was accepted into the troop without problems because it is known thatvervet monkeys commonly reject troop members who stay away for a long time. We think this exception occurred because Ballas was a sub-adult and that he isn’t much of a threat to the adult males’ status.

Clearly,vervet monkeys have a great sense of direction and that no matter how long a monkey has been in captivity, we can never doubt how quickly they learn and adapt.Having survived all along on the jugnle, Ballas is now living happily with the troop again.

Caribou Siansundi Researcher, Zambia Primate Project

To find out about volunteer opportunities in Zambia, visit: www.bornfree.org.uk/get-involved/voluntary-work/overseas/

Make a donation to the Zambia Primate Project here>

Zoe Lapthorn, Project Manager for the Zambia Primate Project, (formerly the Lunga Luswishi Wildlife Project) which rescues and rehabilitates needy primates back into the wild where they belong, reports on the latest release at the project.

Bagheera and Mapepe -  two Vervet Baboons!

Upon release on 12th December, Bagheera and Mapepe bolted out of the holding enclosure and ran and ran, closely pursued by some of the troop. The only way to follow and find them was to follow on foot using the tracking equipment. These two radio-collared adult males were moving very fast and it was impossible to keep up safely in lion and elephant territory.

We finally found them just under 3km from the release site! None of the other monkeys were found along the way, nor were they with these two adult males. Bagheera was still leading, Mapepe was finding it very difficult to keep up and was already several hundred metres behind his friend. Neither appeared afraid and as such, neither wished to follow us back. They just continued running directly north as they had upon release. With such a strong sense of direction, we needn’t have worried ourselves, but as it was Bagheera who was leading, we could not know if the same applied to Mapepe’s own internal GPS.

Sadly, we had to give up following them late that same afternoon as we were slowly becoming surrounded by two angry herds of elephants, each having made it quite clear from the outset that we were not welcome in their area. As their circling manoeuvres became more apparent, we had no choice but to back off and leave these two stunning males to their own devices for the rest of their first day of their new lives in the wild. It was with trepidation that we reached the bush road over 2.5km later, knowing they did not wish to follow us and that we could not follow and protect them either.

Surprisingly and wonderfully, the very next morning we found Mapepe’s signal, followed it and found him at the side of the bush road. He had been joined by four ‘missing’ members of the release troop. We saw Bagheera the same day and managed to move him just under 1km closer to the release troop. However, at that point, a large troop of yellow baboons crossed our path and Bagheera ran off with them!

We were becoming increasingly concerned for Mapepe though, as he was leading a solitary existence ever since his release on 12 December. Whilst this is not unusual in the wild, Mapepe is not a wild monkey yet and he still needs guidance and protection until he has had a chance to learn the ways of the wild. We track and find him almost every day and, as with Bagheera, we have developed an individual supplemental feeding programme for Mapepe too. He doesn’t always eat it, which gave us great hope that he was finding food for himself and not needing our help. We owe it to him to give him the same assistance as with the rest of the release troop and so we continue.

We tried many, many times to encourage him to follow us so that we could lead him back to his friends, but he only ever refused. He had seen us with the troop on one occasion recently, but ran past and didn’t stop until he reached the bush road. We followed him and encouraged him back, but he was just not interested.

It was in this way that we realised that the only way to offer Mapepe the protection he so desperately needed was to reunite him with Bagheera and hope that his friend would accept him back. If successful, the best we could hope for at this stage would be for the two of them to remain with the yellow baboons and help them in their adaptation to their new lives in the wild, showing them where the best seasonal fruits could be found and affording them superb protection from any wild monkeys or baboons who should try and encroach on their territory. The baboons would alert them to all the dangers of the great African bush, few of which they would have known from their captive lives. The next best we could hope for would be for the two of them to move off on their own as two bachelor males, in search of a wild troop to lead, with Bagheera at the head and Mapepe as his number two.

With this in mind, we spent time trying to move Mapepe closer to the range we were slowly beginning to identify as Bagheera’s. Our attempts were all in vain and he simply refused to move with us. In the meantime, his own range rapidly expanded and we were starting to find him heading south up to 3.5km further away from Bagheera! This was particularly exasperating as Bagheera’s range was in completely the opposite direction and it was becoming evident that we would not succeed.

On 30 December we found these two males 3.5km apart from each other. It was with great surprise and hope therefore that the following day, New Year’s Eve, their signals were found in the same direction. As we neared the bush road 1km from our camp, both signals grew stronger and still in the same direction. We realised today was the day our plan could possibly work, but only if Mapepe would follow us, as we did not want to remove Bagheera from the protection of his baboon troop.

And so it was on the morning of New Year’s Eve that the wonderful spectacle of two stunning adult male vervet monkeys was witnessed, leaping and bounding through the long summer grasses of Zambia’s rainy season … together! We’ll never know just how this came to be, but there they were, running towards us, each knowing we had brought food for him, though neither knowing we had also been finding and feeding the other one. A truly magnificent day. They remained together for the rest of that day and Bagheera introduced Mapepe to his yellow baboon troop either later that day or early the next, as it was then that we found them all together.

The next time we brought them some food, they ate together a couple of metres apart, respecting Bagheera as the dominant male as always, but immediately afterwards, they walked swiftly directly back to the baboons and sat amongst them in full view of us. As if to say, this is our family now, thank you.

Bagheera would always leave a reasonable portion of his food behind and we’d like to think this was for his new family members. Mapepe as their newest member also respects this unspoken rule and so do we. We always bring just a little more than enough, so as not to get these two superb adult male ‘Vervet Baboons’ into trouble within the family troop.

Bagheera and Mapepe could not be in safer hands right now and it will now be up to them to decide when, or even if they wish to leave the baboons, in order to seek a wild vervet monkey troop of their own to lead. We would hope that they take their time in making this decision, allowing the baboons to show them all they need to know first.

We will continue tracking and assisting these two males over the same timescale as the main troop, for a full twelve months. With our main vervet monkey troop still being led by wild adult male Mulwendo, they too are in the best possible hands, in the absence of their two good friends Bagheera and Mapepe. Who can say when their paths might all cross again someday…

Vervet troop release day!

One week inside their purpose built, temporary holding enclosure helped acclimatize the troop away from the security of their familiar sights, sounds and smells of their captive environment at the Munda Wanga sanctuary, to this new, very wild and very different place.  Every bird call (no matter how small) startled them. The noisy hippos just up the stream must have been a frightening start to each day. Where the lions at Munda Wanga would remain several hundred metres from them behind bars, they now strolled by their holding enclosure at night as they hunted in the area.

First thing on the morning of release day we scattered food around, to tempt them out of their safe place and out into the wild bush of Kafue National Park, and to try and keep them all together as one troop, rather than them scattering at the first sense of freedom. All were free to leave the holding enclosure at the same time, though it was the youngsters who were first out, leaving the older ones to look around themselves with new eyes now. The lush vegetation which was thought never to be available to them, could now be theirs to try to eat, to climb and play in, to shelter under. The fruits and seed pods could now be picked and sampled for themselves – never an option in their captivity.

The three radio-collared adults were some of the last to leave the holding enclosure. Alpha male Bagheera looked to be the most anxious of all: reality dawning on him that his troop was now truly his to lead in this new place with no fences; that the wild adult male who had been hanging around ever since the troop arrived the week before would now be challenging him to that right; but primarily for a strong adult male such as Bagheera, he was now free. We don’t know his history, so we can’t know how much of his life was spent in captivity; whether in fact he had ever known a life in the wild or if he’d been snatched from his slaughtered mother’s body by poachers when he was still suckling, as is so often the case with these orphans.

His second in command, adult male Mapepe, looked around himself, uncertain what to do, but keeping a close eye on his leader and friend Bagheera for the first step. Finally, Bagheera had made his decision and his personal plan of action. He popped his head out of the door, stepped outside carefully, took a look around him … and ran. Mapepe immediately followed, along with eight other younger ones.

After a little more time to muster up the confidence, Juliet finally emerged with her one week old baby boy and her one year old son. She joined her friends on top of the holding enclosure and in the surrounding bushes and trees. They remained there the whole day, taking it all in, picking at the food we’d scattered and finding their own.

Meanwhile, the moment Bagheera and his followers had left, part of our team left immediately on foot through the bush with the tracking equipment to try to bring them all back. They were running at great speed and the signals were often weak, showing the gap between us all.  In a bush alive with lions and elephants, we don’t run and thus we could easily have lost them all, had we not set off immediately.

As it was, when we did finally catch up with the 2 radio-collared individuals whom we’d been tracking for 2.5km already, the others were no longer with them. Lengthy daily searches commenced immediately and continue. Food and water is plentiful throughout the bush at this time, which is why we always release during the rainy season. In this way we give our troops the very best chance of survival, with or without the protection of a troop, whether their own or a wild one.

Zoe Lapthorn, Project Manager for the Zambia Primate Project, (formerly the Lunga Luswishi Wildlife Project)

Bouncing Baby Shishamba – born on the banks of the Shishamba Stream

Alpha female Juliet gave birth to baby Jumanji one year ago, at the end of December 2010. One year on and a very heavily pregnant Juliet arrived at the release site on Sunday 4 December and was placed inside the troop’s holding enclosure, where they would spend the next week acclimatising to their new environment, prior to their release back into the wild.

The very next day, we brought the troop their food for the day and left them shortly thereafter for our own lunch. Upon our return in the afternoon just a few short hours later, we discovered a tiny surprise awaiting us. Juliet had, unusually, given birth in the afternoon; many primate babies are delivered overnight.

Her newborn was still wet and so tiny. We decided to name him after the stream beside which he was born – Shishamba.

After just a few days, Shishamba could already be seen trying to walk – he would take one step and fall over; another and over he would go again. He chose instead to bounce on all fours; a little more successful, though not much. He was soon trying to suck mango and water melon from the ground too.

Jumanji immediately took to his little brother and his Mum let him touch him right from the start. She was very possessive of her newborn, not letting the other females, the aunties, get too close and the males were not allowed near.

A month old now and Shishamba is doing very well, with a very plump tummy. Juliet often leaves him up a tree whilst she forages on the same tree or just below on the ground. His aunties are given more rights to him now, though they are still very wary of Juliet. His climbing skills are improving all the time and although his walking has improved a great deal, he still chooses to bounce.

Zoe Lapthorn, Project Manager – Zambia Primate Project

Challenge for position of alpha female

Alpha female Juliet was originally partnered with alpha male Caesar, before the three troops were joined a few months ago in readiness for their release as a whole this November. Although Caesar lost his battle for dominance, Juliet was readily taken on by new alpha male Bagheera. However, often in vervet monkey troops, the male will take a second wife and in this instance it appears that Masuku has risen to the challenge.

One of the privileges of being an alpha female is having the right to remove food from the mouths of all others within the troop, generally with the exception of the alpha male.

Juliet is heavily pregnant and it may be that she gives birth during release in just a few weeks time. It will be a strain for her to protect her baby at the same time as learning to adapt to her new life in the wild, where she must forage for her own food. But a natural birth in the wild will be a great experience for all members of the troop, all coming together to help out. There are several juvenile and subadult females who will all be more than willing to do the job.

In her quest for the role of assistant alpha female, Masuku can regularly be seen hot on Bagheera’s tail patrolling their territory together and, although not used to the attention, he doesn’t seem to mind. He mates freely with both his wives and whereas Juliet is very used to this behaviour from her time spent with Caesar, this is all completely new to the much younger and vastly more inexperienced Masuku.

The first time she witnessed Bagheera mating with Juliet right next to her, her head dived straight to the ground as she looked underneath Juliet to see what on earth was going on. An intriguing sight to behold! One might assume this activity would be taken for granted in the primate world, but Masuku wanted to see exactly what there was to see. And the first couple of times Bagheera mated with Masuku, she’d look behind her, watching Bagheera with a look of alarm.

For now, the atmosphere within the troop is calm, despite this change to the hierarchy. Only time will tell if this can last and whether Juliet will allow Masuku to take her place as alpha female or if the two females can even live side by side with Bagheera as their joint claim.  With only three weeks left for them to remain at Munda Wanga before they’re loaded up onto the truck and transported away to their new lives in Kafue National Park, there is so much that can change in a seemingly stable troop of vervet monkeys.

Zoë Lapthorn
Project Manager
Zambia Primate Project

Kansanshi arrived at Munda Wanga on Thursday 1 December 2011 from Solwezi, via Ndola, at only about 8 months old. He had been confiscated by an Honorary Ranger in the area, working at Kansanshi Mine and tenderly looked after for the next 6 weeks by a volunteer and the children of the local primary school. This baby monkey’s mother was likely killed for bushmeat and the baby taken to be sold on the illegal pet trade. Somewhere along the way the baby had been stoned and received a badly split lip.

Kansanshi

Kansanshi was transferred to a cage until the vet arrived the following day to carry out his health check. This is a routine procedure to ensure the animal is in good health and not carrying any disease which may then be passed on to other primates.

Kansanshi’s cage was immediately placed up against the bars of another young vervet monkey, Chikumbi. She is about one a half years old and has been with us for about 2 months. She’s already cleared her month’s quarantine and so will now undergo a further month, so that Kansanshi has a friend and does not therefore need to be alone; vital for any primate.

The bond was evident from the outset, both sitting very close to each other and touching each other through the bars and of course Chikumbi was also intent on stealing her new friend’s food. Share and share alike…

Next day the vet arrived and sedated Kansanshi, where he was found to weigh a healthy 950g. He had some blood taken to be tested for any disease or sign of illness, he was tested for TB, a test which is carried out in the eyelids, and he was vaccinated against tetanus and rabies, his rabies booster will be given prior to him leaving quarantine. He was found to have a few teeth missing from the stoning he had received prior to his confiscation. New teeth should grow in their place, as he is still so young and developing.

Kansanshi health check with Chikumbi

He awoke to find himself in a very large quarantine enclosure with his new friend Chikumbi, also waking up from the same sedation. She was having her blood taken again, as the previous vet was unsuccessful in this pursuit, very often the case with such tiny animals.

Next day the 2 were already inseparable, both thriving in the other’s company. After they have both cleared quarantine, they will be transferred across to the main troop in the park at Munda Wanga, where they will begin their slow preparation towards a new life back in the wild where they belong, on the Zambia Primate Project rehabilitation and release programme.

Thank you all for taking such good care of little Kansanshi and helping him along the first steps of his journey to freedom once more.

Continue to take care of Zambia’s wildlife!

Zambia Primate Project

Since Betty’s last blog she’s had a few new additions to her troop out in the main outdoor enclosure. Just a fortnight ago we released Mary and her new white baby Sangalala out to meet the troop*. It was a resounding success, although Mary, being a naturally timid baboon, was a little overwhelmed by all the attention she received, since she was last outside about three months ago.

British volunteer Sarah Hardy has spent many a long day outside in the blistering summer sun studying the baboons, judging when Doreen is ready to receive the next member back outside with her. Remarkably there was no change at all in Doreen’s behaviour over the last two weeks since Mary and Sangalala joined the troop. The decision was thus made to let Jungle out next, who was acting as Sangalala’s auntie throughout her time in the night rooms. Jungle was the obvious next choice and letting her out sooner rather than later, turned out to be a good one.

At feeding time when we were preparing to open up for Jungle to come outside, Doreen was right up at the fence with the wheelbarrow of food – a sure sign of a confident animal, being so close to the food source with no worry about anyone coming up behind her. Further proof of Doreen’s progress can be found in Doreen’s sexual state, as she came into oestrus this month for the first time since she was rescued and brought to Munda Wanga over two years ago. We can’t know if she was ever in oestrus prior to her arrival, as we don’t know that part of her history. But the signs are good and show that her body is finally adjusting to her new relaxed and confident state within her troop.

The rest of the day was completely calm, with no aggression shown by anyone to anyone, although Jungle had a couple of new members of the troop to be properly introduced to. Jungle was inside the night rooms when baby Betty arrived in early September and was introduced to her new surrogate mum Tibi. Although Betty’s been outside in the main enclosure for almost two months already, Jungle hasn’t been properly introduced to her, except through the bars.

So today was her first day to meet Betty face to face, with no bars in between them. Jungle was overly excited about meeting her and so Betty did what any baby would do – she ran straight into her mum’s arms. She sat there, tucked tight into Tibi’s chest, with her arms and legs wrapped around her, for several minutes, just sitting there quietly with Jungle hovering excitedly nearby. She got her chance to meet Betty a little later on, but on Betty’s terms. There was no fuss, just a simple introduction and Betty went on her way once more, as did a much happier Jungle.

Alpha female Mirra, who had her last baby, Ice (also born white), at the end of January, has also just come back into heat again. She is seen pushing Ice away more and more as she strives to wean him off her milk. She runs away from him, leaving him racing around the enclosure screaming trying to catch her up. When he does, she gives him the biggest hug and allows him to remain with her. But the lessons are being told and being learned and he spends more time away from his mum now.

Miga spends more and more time patrolling the fence, his troop’s territory, demonstrating more clearly day by day, his true alpha status. There is no longer any doubt about this. He’s undergoing a growth spurt at the moment and looks amazing. He’s full of confidence and authority and leaves no doubt about who’s leading the troop. Jungle approached a rather disinterested Miga this afternoon, presented herself and, receiving little interest at all from him, she went on her way. A few months ago she would have chased him.

Jungle hadn’t met Jaklini properly until now either and after a couple of small chases to catch up with her, Jungle found her prize, mounted her in an act of friendship and life went on as normal for both of these ladies. Jungle was found much later on, sitting with Doreen, grooming each other peacefully. There’s rarely a chase these days, the troop preferring to forage, rest and play together, often interchanging to be with other troop members. So only Stocky and Vanilla now remain in the night rooms, awaiting their turn to be reintegrated back into their troop, at Doreen’s and Miga’s pace. In just a few weeks time, when these two ladies are slowly released one by one back into the troop in the main enclosure outside, our release troop for 2012 will be complete. Not only that, but it will be a fully bonded cohesive troop, with a strong alpha couple, several very strong mother/baby bonds with a good number of aunties to help look after the babies and a well ordered hierarchy. And it finally looks as if Doreen will be joining them.

So only Stocky and Vanilla now remain in the night rooms, awaiting their turn to be reintegrated back into their troop, at Doreen’s and Miga’s pace. In just a few weeks time, when these two ladies are slowly released one by one back into the troop in the main enclosure outside, our release troop for 2012 will be complete. Not only that, but it will be a fully bonded cohesive troop, with a strong alpha couple, several very strong mother/baby bonds with a good number of aunties to help look after the babies and a well ordered hierarchy. And it finally looks as if Doreen will be joining them.

*As we always plan to release our rescued primates back into the wild where they belong, we limit interference with their natural behaviours, allowing them to strengthen their social bonds through breeding.

Zambian Independence Day, 24 October 2011

The Zambia Primate Project (ZPP) rescues and rehabilitates needy primates, integrating them into cohesive troops, teaching them all they need to know to adapt to their new lives out of captivity, and then releasing them back into the wild, where they belong. They are then closely monitored every step of the way by a loyal team living and working deep in the great African bush.Vervet Voice will endeavour to bring this whole process to life for you, so that you may begin to understand the incredibly tough lives each and every one of these primates must endure as a result. It is a very costly process, but well worth every British pound, every American dollar, every Zambian kwacha. Sponsored primarily by the Born Free Foundation, an international animal welfare charitable organisation based in the UK, ZPP has been operating since 2002 and with the help of our supporters, will continue working hard to give primates back their lives and their freedom, for many, many years to come.

Vervet Voice will take you through the journey of one very brave individual, Masuku, together with various other members of this year’s release troop of Vervet Monkeys (Cercopithicus aethiops), as their paths cross and they join Masuku along her long journey to absolute freedom. So let me introduce you to Masuku…

Masuku © ZPP

In early January 2010 Masuku was confiscated by members of our ZPP team, together with two Wildlife Officers from ZAWA (Zambia Wildlife Authority), in the Copperbelt region of Zambia. Her mother had been killed by poachers in the forest and sold for the illegal bush meat trade. Masuku was snatched from where she still clung to her mother’s dead body and sold on the illegal pet trade. She was then kept illegally in captivity for about two years before our team learned of her plight and quickly stepped in to confiscate her.

She was immediately brought to Munda Wanga, a wildlife sanctuary in Lusaka, for her ongoing rehabilitation. Whilst in captivity she had been kept on a nylon rope leash which was secured tightly around her waist, with random pieces of metal sticking out of it. As she grew, her leash became tighter and tighter, but no-one loosened it. Over many intensely painful months the leash slowly became imbedded in her waist as her body started to grow around and over it. No veterinary care was offered to her, she had just been left to endure the serious infection which resulted.

Put under sedation by a qualified vet upon arrival at Munda Wanga, her leash was carefully removed and pus was evident all around her waist. Her wounds were cleaned, an antibiotic was administered, a full health check was carried out, routine vaccinations were given and she was treated for septicaemia in her leash wound.

Masuku's infected leash wounds, with the leash still deeply embedded in her flesh © ZPP

Primates at Munda Wanga must undergo at least a month in quarantine, to ensure that any diseases or other medical issues they might have can be dealt with and prevented from being passed on to others. Masuku had to spend much longer in isolation as she was initially tested positive for tuberculosis (TB) during her first month with us. This does not mean she had TB, but she had to be tested further and cleared of any trace of the disease before joining the troops in the park. Initial TB testing is carried out in both eyelids under sedation. She underwent further TB eyelid tests and chest x-rays in February, March and June last year and was then finally given a clean bill of health. This allowed her to join others of her kind, for the first time since being snatched from her dead mother about two years before.

Blood being drawn for testing © ZPP

Masuku was slowly integrated into a very small troop of vervets in the park over a period of a few weeks. This was done first through the bars of her night room adjoining the main enclosure, and then, when all the interactions observed by our team and sanctuary staff were positive, Masuku was finally released into an open-topped, electrified enclosure.

There she could now live with a clear view of the sky, be able to climb a tree at night, be groomed freely by others of her kind, learn the complicated hierarchy of troop life and find her own place within that order. She had a great leader in the alpha male Mapepe, a very gentle and dear soul, with a pitiful story of his own, as have all the primates in our care.

Yet even now within her first family group, the ordeal of needles and sedation was still not over. Dear Masuku had to be retested for TB yet again last September with all the primates at Munda Wanga, after a suspected outbreak, which was never confirmed, and again, routinely as a follow-up to that, with all the other primates in April 2011.

TB test © ZPP

In all, Masuku has undergone 6 TB eyelid tests. Had she not been snatched from her mother, she would never have even seen a needle.

Over a lengthy period of several months this year, Mapepe’s troop of 8 monkeys was very slowly integrated with Caesar’s troop of 15 and Bagheera’s troop of 4, in order to form one cohesive troop in time for this November’s release into Kafue National Park. It’s been a very lengthy process, with many changes in the hierarchy and various injuries along the way, but the troop was complete towards the end of August. And so Masuku’s story continues as she learns the ways of this new, much larger troop than she or any of the others are used to.

This brings us up to date with Masuku, who has now been with us for almost two years. She is now into her final weeks before her release back into the wild. So catch up with Masuku next time to hear how she coped with the final integrations and where she will be placed in the troop hierarchy under the new dominant male, Bagheera, after he beat Caesar and Mapepe to the grand title of alpha male.

To find out about volunteer opportunities in Zambia, visit: www.bornfree.org.uk/get-involved/voluntary-work/overseas/

If you would like to donate to the ZPP click here

Zoë Lapthorn
Project Manager
Zambia Primate Project

Betty continues to thrive in her new environment, taking very well to every member of the troop and not really favouring one over another. She still enjoys her times with young sub adults Peter and Jaklini, and with youngsters Ice and Charlie, and with adult females Mirra and of course mum Tibi. But I’ve also seen her patrolling the fence with alpha male Miga, which is quite a sight. Miga is emerging more and more as dominant male, since we reintegrated him slowly into the troop, in the same programme as for Doreen. This allows each of them time to readapt and take on the roles they should always have had, had the younger members of the troop not given them such a hard time and prevented them from doing this previously.

Miga has gained a great deal of weight since we readjusted their food quantities, his bald patches have now disappeared and with this, his confidence is now shining through. He still has his moments, but I’m confident he will continue going from strength to strength now and assert himself more and more as he realises his size, strength and power over the rest of his troop. It was thus a wonderful sight to witness when Betty took to his side to patrol at speed and authority with him.

Betty patrolling the perimeter fence with alpha male Miga...

...foraging with surrogate mum Tibi...

and later with good friend Jaklini

I saw Doreen earlier today sitting side by side with Tibi in a spot of welcome shade, with young Charlie close by. Doreen looked totally relaxed and at ease with Tibi. We’re still taking care when feeding, to ensure Doreen gets to eat the good bits and doesn’t wait until feeding is over to dig in. She continues to improve, though is not yet ready for the next individual to come out of the night rooms into the main enclosure. We continue to observe and judge when we feel the time is right.

Doreen grooming Tibi

Tibi grooming a slightly less comfortable Doreen

A far more confident Doreen now choosing to sit with Tibi and Charlie

The next individual we were intending on letting out to join the main troop was heavily pregnant Mary, sadly still in the night rooms, due to the same programme mentioned above. As you will see from the photo gallery below, Mary gave birth on Monday in the early hours, as all primates tend to do when able to.

Assuming alpha male Miga is responsible for this tiny white bundle of fluff, it would appear that he carries a white gene. Again, assuming Miga is the father of Mirra’s baby, since Mirra and Miga have lived together all their lives and are the dominant pair, Ice was also born completely white. Baboons are mostly born black, turning yellow brown after some months, whilst some will never change from being pure white. In the case of Ice, he developed some patches of ginger after about 3 or 4 months and slowly turned a completely gingery yellow brown. Mirra’s first born, Vanilla, on the other hand, was born black and is now the usual shade of a yellow baboon. Either Miga’s gene is a part time one, or Wezi had something to do with it…

A helpless baby, just a few hours old, losing grip

Attempting to stand for the first time, almost unassisted

Wondering what mum has in her pouches

A rather gorgeous baby

On the day the baby was born, Mary did the rounds of her night room very regularly, introducing her baby to everyone who came to visit. In the first of these shots, you’ll see Mary being groomed by Mirra and Tibi outside, forgetting she now has a baby to take care of and leaving it dangling, desperately trying to get those weak little legs back up into mum’s fur once again. Mary was totally oblivious and enjoying the groom.

Mary’s a very nervous first time mum and was alone in her night room for the first few days. The keepers shut Jungle away from her when they saw the newborn baby, deciding to let her adjust to her new baby alone. I had to go away for the next few days and was concerned about opening up for Jungle and then not being around to check on what might happen. Friday I was back in business and spent a couple of hours observing Mary, Jungle and the baby and the interactions with everyone.

I watched Mary head to Jungle very often, where she would lean her back up against Jungle’s fence and allow her to groom her continuously, whilst Mary took a much needed sleep. The baby would leave her grasp and Mary would initially check beside her for Jungle’s arm which was at first hesitantly reaching to support and reassure the baby. Jungle made lots of submissive noises to let Mary know she meant no harm but was about to touch her baby. Mary dozed comfortably for several minutes at a time.

Mary gently holding her baby, sitting upright and alone for the first time, holding onto the bars for further support

Jungle’s reassuring arm reaching in from the left and Mary’s protective arm from the right

Satisfied that Mary’s bond with Jungle was still strong, despite the newborn, I opened up for them to be back together in their two night rooms. Jungle was very nervous for the first 45 minutes, darting past Mary rather than greeting her. But later, they would hug each other fully around their middles for lengthy periods, reaffirming their bonds. Yesterday Jungle was still using the fence between their two night rooms as the necessary division through which to groom Mary. This morning however as I did my rounds, I was touched to see Jungle and Mary sitting together in just one night room, with no fences between them, Jungle comfortably grooming a totally relaxed Mary, face to face, with the baby happily between them both. The baby now has a devoted live-in Auntie, and Mary can now catch up on some sleep, safe in the knowledge that Jungle will be watching the baby for her in the meantime.

I feel I may have digressed slightly from Betty’s Blog, but hope you have enjoyed an insight into the newest member of Betty’s family. She still has two more to meet, who are currently in quarantine. This is partly because of the small space available in the night rooms, but also partly due to a potential health issue with one of them, which is currently being addressed. It is hoped that once this is resolved, Maria and Polini will join Betty’s new family group too.

To volunteer in Zambia, and help monitor the next troop of monkeys to be released back to the wild, visit: www.bornfree.org.uk/get-involved/voluntary-work/overseas/

Zoe Lapthorn,
Project Manager, Zambia Primate Project, (formerly the Lunga Luswishi Wildlife Project)

It’s already a fair while since Betty’s and surrogate mum Tibi’s release into the main enclosure from the night room they shared together. Release day was a complete success, as was Betty’s first week outside with the rest of her new family.

Being groomed by Jaklini....... and playing with Ice (Mirra’s second born)

Tibi took just a few days to fully settle, her chasing of others slowing down even as soon as the second day. As always, we adjusted our feeding strategy to cater for adult female Doreen’s needs, as Tibi’s return to the main enclosure after two months, put an expected strain on her and she barely ate for those first two days, no matter how hard we all tried to get food to her by scattering it all around the entire enclosure.

But unlike previous times when we’ve released a troop member out of the night rooms and back into the main enclosure, this time Doreen did eat towards the end of each feed, she just missed all the really good bits. By day three, you’d hardly know there had been any change to the group dynamics. Although we continue to feed the troop in such a way that Doreen can’t fail to find abundant food wherever she walks, she no longer needs this treatment. She can be seen eating side by side once again with our alpha pair, Miga and Mirra, and also now with Tibi.

Looking more like a hamster every day

Betty, on the other hand, doesn’t appear to have stopped eating for a second since her release. In the first couple of days, she was often pinned down (gently) by a few troop members, simply showing her her place in her new family group. Betty was never phased by this at all. Every time she was released from their gentle hold, she’d bounce straight back up and continue feasting. As always, it’s the confident ones who thrive in these integrations and Betty is just such a character.

Charlie had to go through the same procedure back in May when he was released into the main enclosure with surrogate mum Doreen, but his case was very different. At that time, there were only three other baboons outside (Wezi, Peter and Jaklini, the latter fresh out of quarantine), to allow Doreen her very best chances of remaining outside, and not being returned straight back to the night rooms after being bullied by all the others, as had happened before.

Betty spent a great deal of time the other day, carefully clearing away all the grass in this patch of scrub, until she felt it was flat enough to sit her precious bottom down and nibble on something

Betty is a quiet little soul, for the moment at least. She spends a lot of time wandering around her enclosure, soaking up the space, whether alone or in company doesn’t seem to bother her at all. She gets on famously with all members of the troop, particularly young Peter now that he’s shown her he’s her superior – Betty had actually taken to lying down before he pinned her down, just to save time. They spend a lot of time together now and as he’s high up in the chain of command, despite his age, this will in turn aid Betty’s integration further still as the rest of the troop join them in time.

Eating again........ More playtime with Ice, with Tibi on watch

Tibi and Betty are spending more and more time together now that Tibi has reaffirmed all bonds throughout the troop and has settled once more after her two months away. It was important that she was allowed to do this and she can now focus more fully on her maternal duties once again. Betty was a much loved member of the troop after just hours of her release. Now, a week on, this growing love can be readily seen and the air of calmness which surrounds Betty, is proof of this.

When Doreen demonstrates that she is comfortable with the troop dynamics once again, the next member of the troop will be released into the main enclosure. This time, heavily pregnant Mary…to allow her as natural a birth as possible within her family group, with Betty a fully fledged member.

Zoe Lapthorn, Project Manager, Zambia Primate Project (formerly the Lunga Luswishi Wildlife Project)

To volunteer in Zambia, and help monitor the next troop of monkeys to be released back to the wild, visit: Volunteering overseas