The Sunday Mail
Please be advised that monkeys and baboons do enter the rooms. Do not leave your door open.
The above cautionary statement, which rightly alerts visitors to the resort town of Victoria Falls, can only be ignored at the visitors’ own peril.
While thousands of local and foreign delegates to the recent annual 21st February Movement celebrations gathered at Elephant Hills to commemorate President Mugabe’s 91st birthday, monkeys could not be outdone as they also had their own festive gathering, on the periphery of the main venue, presumably for the same cause.
Among hundreds of many animal species that dominantly welcome visitors to the majestic town of Victoria Falls, vervet monkeys form a sizeable chunk of the mammal population in the town that is home to the world’s seventh wonder.
Even warthogs could also be seen wantonly roving in similar fashion.
The restless and big-eyed monkeys regularly navigate into the area surrounding the town and its developments.
The ever-fidgeting creatures, whose degree of discourtesy is comparable to none, religiously find their way into human spaces in search of drinking water and foodstuffs.
Not even a knock on the door!
Monitoring from a very short distance, the calculative light-fingered animals keep an eye on each and every step made by the rightful occupants of the rooms or tents.
For a few seconds, they ponder as they tip-toe closer to the rooms determined to attain unlawful entry. As soon as the inhabitants walk out of their rooms, the deceptive animals are warming up at the touchline, waiting for the opportune moment to sneak in.
Somersaulting and giggling, the troops spontaneously synchronise their movements as they find their way into one of the tents.
Eventually the hyperactive creatures find themselves into an unoccupied camping tent, and the search begins.
Pulling and pushing bags around, the monkeys manoeuvre skilfully and eventually fish out a plastic bag containing fruits.
The giggling continues inside the tents, understandably because the mammals’ dietary requirements could be fulfilled with the loot comprising of a variety of fruits.
But wait a minute; although they are armed with big brains, their small bodies cannot carry out the seemingly abortive mission.
They fail to drag the loot out of the tent and as they prepare for another assault, the delegates at the President’s bash are also preparing to return to their respective provinces as the birthday celebrations are winding down.
The deafening noises from the vehicle engines as delegates negotiate their way out, coupled with the ululations and singing from the crowd, send some of the monkeys scampering for cover while the daring ones stare in awe.
In no time, the monkeys’ short-lived glory comes to an end.
The multitudes of people who thronged the resort town for the celebrations did not only infect the wild species with enjoyment, but also left them overwhelmed.
Story & Pictures by Believe Nyakudjara
