Thursday, June 22, 2017

Monkeys in A-5

Monkey wants corn
During the time that we have been absent from our home in Moshi, the monkeys have moved in.  In "On the Beach" the rabbits were going to survive World War III, but I believe that in present day World War III, the monkeys will survive.  We have only been here 36 hours and already the monkeys have come out and I have had the joy of watching 3 monkeys methodically strip ears of sweet corn from our garden, climb up one of three trees, and shuck the ear, toss down the outside and happily sit in the tree munching on the ear of corn.  When they finish, they head back to the garden and pick another.  I have watched each of the monkeys pick at least 3 ears each of corn (they do not share).    These are Ververt monkeys I believe and they have blue-green butts.  Most interesting.

Blue Butt Monkey with ear of corn in mouth
I was determined to scare them off, but with no luck.  I ran after them screaming, "Shooooo" and they just sat down looking placidly at me.  Here is one just two feet from me. She was waiting for me to move so she could go to the corn field just behind me.
Mother Monkey at my feet
Eating Rangoon Creeper
The monkeys were calculating how fast they could run around me to the corn....The corn does not look terribly appetizing to me but I plan to shuck one and try it for myself before they strip the whole field.
Sweet Corn?
The nearly stripped corn stalks 




The monkeys left the shucks all over the yard under the three trees.
So, I gave up, tried to chase a butterfly to get it to sit quietly on another flower with no luck.  The monkeys finished their treats and now the crows have moved in. 

As we prepare for our visitors who will take most of our time here in Moshi this trip, I will already have been entertained by these thieves who seem to believe that A-5 is a new safari park.  The A-5 game park.I think we need a snazzier name.
Monkey climbs to sitting perch
Monkey shucking corn
Casually eating
Looking me square in the eyes, but thinks she is invisible.

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