From Conflict to Coexistence: The Remarkable Journey of 26 Vervet Monkeys Back to the Wild

Blog by Wilson Chinda

GRI-Media & Communications Officer.

Human-wildlife conflict is becoming an increasingly common challenge as people and wildlife compete for space and natural resources. While these encounters can pose serious risks to both communities and wildlife, they also present opportunities to develop solutions that enable people and wildlife to coexist more safely.

Game Rangers International (GRI) recently relocated a 26-member vervet monkey troop from Zambia’s State House to the GRI-Primate Transit Home (PTH) in Kafue National Park.

The troop had established its territory around the State House grounds and neighbouring residential areas, but increasing overlap between people and wildlife had become a growing concern. As interactions became more frequent, so too did the potential for conflict. To safeguard both the local community and the monkeys, our partners at the Department of National Parks and Wildlife made the carefully considered decision to relocate the troop to a protected area where they could live with minimal human disturbance.

Upon arrival at the PTH, our Zambia Primate Project team immediately began carrying out comprehensive veterinary examinations on every member of the troop. These health assessments are a critical protocol for all primates admitted to the Transit Home, ensuring new arrivals do not introduce infectious diseases or parasites that could threaten the health of primates already undergoing rehabilitation at the facility.

The team's immediate priority was to assess each monkey's overall health and identify any injuries or medical conditions requiring treatment, while ensuring the entire troop could safely begin the rehabilitation process. During these examinations, one monkey was found to have sustained a serious head injury and was immediately given life-saving veterinary treatment.

Once every member of the troop had been examined and cleared, they were transferred to the quarantine enclosure, where they could safely acclimatize while protecting the health of the primates already undergoing rehabilitation at the facility

The 30-day quarantine period allowed the troop to gradually adjust to their unfamiliar surroundings while enabling the team to monitor their health, behaviour and social dynamics closely. Each monkey was assigned an individual identification code, allowing our Wildlife Rescue Rangers to accurately record feeding behaviour, social interactions, activity levels and overall well-being, ensuring the troop remained healthy, stable and cohesive throughout the process.

As the troop settled into life at the PTH, the team assessed whether they were exhibiting natural behaviours, maintaining strong social bonds and adapting well to their new environment. Only once the troop had successfully met these welfare and behavioural milestones were they considered ready for the next stage of rehabilitation and eventual release into a protected habitat within Kafue National Park.

Meanwhile, the Zambia Primate Team were also identifying a suitable release site for the troop. The selected site, approximately 30 km from the PTH, offered suitable habitat, natural food sources, and the environmental conditions needed to support the troop's long-term survival.

Following their quarantine period, the troop was relocated to the release site and housed in a temporary holding enclosure for two days to reduce stress and increase the likelihood of a successful transition into the wild. This important soft-release process enabled them to adapt to sights, sounds, smells, and rhythms of their new environment while remaining in the safety of the enclosure. 

On release day, the team opened the enclosure gate, and one by one, the vervet monkeys cautiously ventured into the surrounding bushes and trees, exploring their new home together as a troop and embracing life back in the wild, where they truly belong.

Our Wildlife Rescue Rangers will continue monitoring the troop's progress in their reintegration process while providing the necessary food supplements they need to survive during this dry season.

Watching the troop return to a natural environment was a powerful reminder of what conservation can achieve when science, compassion, and collaboration come together.

As the GRI-Zambia Primate Project, every successful release is more than a conservation milestone; it is a step towards a future where Zambia's remarkable biodiversity continues to thrive alongside the people who share its landscapes.