Amusing monkeys decide to cool down in a fish pond

Rumble — During a recent visit to the Kruger National Park we came across a very amusing and entertaining sight while checking in at one of the rest camps. It was late afternoon and extremely hot when we arrived at the reception of the camp. Near the entrance was a fish pond and in the fish pond we spotted something moving in the water from a distance. To our amazement we realised there was a primate, called a vervet monkey, swimming in the pond. The monkey even had its head under the water looking like it was swimming breaststroke lengths in the pond. It was clear to us that this monkey was very comfortable being in the water and actually looked like a great swimmer. It was not long before a second monkey joined in for a relaxing cool down swim. A third monkey arrived but decided to leave them in peace. It soon became clear that the second monkey was a male joining the first monkey, which turned out to be the female. Like a true couple they spend time together enjoying a relaxing afternoon cool down session. We could not never imagine finding monkeys swimming in a fish pond right at the entrance of a rest camp. To see any primates swimming is a rare and unusual occasion. During extreme heat conditions various primate species have been observed cooling down only in shallow waters. The deep fish pond was ideal as there were no predators lurking like crocodiles as they would find in the rivers and lakes out in the bush. On this day the heat was just too much for these monkeys and they adapted by swimming in the safe waters of the pond. At the same time the male saw this quiet moment as a great opportunity to spend quality time with the female in the water. Something we have never seen before.