Monkey Business

I love her little hands!

 It's not just because I got some really cute photos of the monkeys that I am dedicating a whole blog just to them, but their story deserves telling.

On my way back from the hospital after my interviews, the monkeys were out playing again. Lots of babies, lots of tree climbing, tree eating, and one monkey was even spoiled by the neighbour who threw her a banana. The monkeys seems so human in many ways. They have different sounds for communicating, from squeaks to grunts. They sit in chairs (see below). They even know that boys like blue, see the first photo to understand, and that pink is for girls (didn't get you a photo for proof unfortunately!). But most of all, they also go through hardship. Like every other Uganda, they had to live through Idi Amin's rule.

I spy something that is BLUE!

The generation and families of vervets who live by Mulago hospital and have spread into nearby Nakasero, are survivors of Amin. Nelson, the guest house manager, told me their story.

In 1979, as Tanzanian troops invaded Uganda and eventually made their way to Kampala to overthrow Amin, the city of Kampala was in horrific chaos. The medical school across the street from me was abandoned. In the school, they kept a male and female monkey. As no one came to feed them anymore, they escaped. And so they began their family on Mulago Hill.

Although today there are many, this troupe of vervets started off as just two. Thirty years later, they have a large family with two males, multiple females and ever-growing numbers of babies at Mulago, but also have extended families (likely males who were kicked out) in other nearby areas.

I couldn't help but share photos of my dashing little neighbours with you! See, monkeys DO like bananas! Apparently, mangos too!

Adult monkeys like bananas!

Teenagers too!

Mom and a really young baby! They carry them around just like we do... although they can do it hands free!