Vernon is a male Vervet Monkey who came to live at the Primate Rescue Center in 2004. We estimate his birth year to be 1999. Vernon lived for years in the home of an animal hoarder in New York. He was housed in a small dog crate that was rarely cleaned. At the time he was confiscated, authorities found seven other primates living in the house, all in the same conditions as Vernon.
Because of his traumatic past, Vernon is very nervous around other monkeys and humans. Although he is currently housed alone, Vernon is still able to see and interact with the monkeys around him; however, he prefers to sit and groom by himself. He enjoys playing with his enrichment, whether it be scraping peanut butter out of a Kong toy or tossing and chasing plastic balls around his enclosure. Vernon loves to eat almost anything we serve him, but he is especially fond of corn, bananas, and peanuts.
Scientists discover new endangered primate species, with only 260 left
Scientists have discovered a new primate species in the jungles of Myanmar -- and it's already at risk of extinction.
No Grumpy Old Men in the World of Chimps
Older male chimps follow a pattern that researchers also see in humans, preferring to have positive relationships with a few good friends.
Endangered Brazilian monkeys get a bridge to themselves
The overpass juts from a forest over a four-lane highway in a rural area outside Rio de Janeiro. It’s meant for a very special sort of pedestrian: golden lion tamarins, small orange primates that for decades have been at risk of extinction.
Male baboons with female friends live longer
Drawing on 35 years of data, a new study of more than 540 baboons in Amboseli National Park in Kenya finds that male baboons that have close female friends have higher rates of survival than those who don't.
Chimpanzees in volatile habitats evolved to behave more flexibly
As the consequences of climate change bear down on all species today, flexible behavior in chimpanzees may be more necessary than ever and their past may be their best defense in an uncertain future.
Like humans, chimpanzees can suffer for life if orphaned before adulthood
Our study shows that a mother's presence and support throughout the prolonged childhood years was also likely a trait in the last common ancestor that humans shared with chimpanzees six to eight million years ago. This trait is likely to have been fundamental in shaping both chimpanzee and human evolution".
Scientists see signs of chimpanzees being able to adapt to climate change
Chimps in more variable conditions exhibit more and different behaviors.
‘The monkeys were here before us’: Once revered, macaques are now taking over a city in Thailand
For the Buddhist faithful in Lobpuri, feeding them was a meritorious deed – but the monkey population has soared in recent years, driving away visitors and decimating parts of the local economy.
Differing diets of bonobo groups may offer insights into how culture is created
Human societies developed food preferences based on a blend of what was available and what the group decided it liked most. Those predilections were then passed along as part of the set of socially learned behaviors, values, knowledge, and customs that make up culture. Besides humans, many other social animals are believed to exhibit forms of culture in various ways, too.
Primate Vocalizations Are Much More Than Gibberish
Nonhuman primates clearly do more than just screech meaningless sounds at each other, but what are the limits of their communication?
