Green monkey at Herberstein Wildlife Park

A Sophisticated Early Warning System
Green monkeys emit different warning calls depending on the type of predator. They distinguish between snakes, leopards, and birds of prey. The other group members—as well as other monkey species in the vicinity that can also interpret the calls—respond accordingly. When they hear “Snake!”, they scan the ground; when they hear “Leopard!”, they all dash to the thinnest tree branches; and when they hear “Bird of prey!”, they hide under the thick foliage near the tree trunk.

Did you know?

The name "meerkat" likely arose from a sound shift and is derived from the Old Indian word "markata," which means "monkey." In addition, the fur of green meerkats has an olive-green sheen.