The monkey on Top of the World in the early morning of a chilly day hoped to enjoy the first warm rays of the sunrise. He also climbed up high into the marula tree to get a world view across the Reserve and stay safe from any predator. Another benefit would have been for the rest of the troop that he would have warned about any danger – perhaps a leopard lurking around.

Catching the first warm rays of the sunrise and keeping watch.

Monkeys have close-knit social groups and each has a special role to play in helping to ensure the welfare of the group, be it mothers with their young, or older youngsters that are taught by the rest of the adults how to live safely and well and the sentries that help, like this monkey, to watch out for the troop. The territorial male would the largest of them all and he would be the head of all the monkeys in the troop.