We really wish all genet stories could be as endearing as the rhino-and-buffalo-riding 'wild cat' that captivated and confused all of us with its unusual behaviour recently. Sadly, this genet story is not a particularly happy one.
Whilst cycling near Durban, South Africa recently, local resident Craig Thompson came across a heartbreaking sight: an injured genet lying on the roadside. "Its whiskers were still moving and it opened its eyes,” Thompson told South Coast Sun. But the genet attracted more than just Thompson's attention ... he was soon joined by a troop of vervet monkeys.
After trying to contact local wildlife organisations, Thompson took matters into his own hands by moving the animal into the shade.
"[The] monkeys approached and I was initially concerned they would be aggressive towards it,” he said. "... [but] they all gathered round and were quite attentive to the injured animal." The dominant male even began to preen and stroke the little genet.
Unable to do more without a vehicle, Thompson left the genet in the company of the monkeys, but says he was astounded by the apparent empathy shown by the troop.
After this story caught our attention, we quizzed our in-house researcher Lindsay Patterson (who also happens to study vervet monkeys in her spare time) to find out if this kind of behaviour is common amongst these animals.
"For many decades monkeys were labelled as showing no apparent empathy – but several primatologists have since argued against that belief," she explains.
"For example, female vervet monkeys often watch over their infants while they're playing, showing concern for their well-being and moving them away if things get too rough. Concern is one of the most basic forms of empathy."
"Vervets are also incredibly curious animals, and this situation may have caused them to take an interest. In Durban's urban areas, cars often knock over local wildlife, and the monkeys are aware of those dangers. They have been observed trying to help troop members injured on the roads (often getting knocked over themselves in the process). So I'd venture to say that it's possible that these monkeys were trying to help the genet."
But is it not unusual that the troop was interacting in this way with an animal that's not one of their kind?
"Vervet monkeys, as well as many other monkey species, are highly social animals, and are known to interact with other species within their environment. In some instances the interactions may be negative; however, when they're not feeling threatened, they have been shown to play, rest, feed and, yes, even groom, with other species in a social, non-threatening setting," Lindsay explains.
"Of course, many will still argue that the aspects of empathy we see in other species are qualitatively different to the kinds of empathy humans show," she cautions.
Top header image: Charlie J/Flickr
H/t: South Coast Sun
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