monkey business - National Trust for Scotland

Activity
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Below is a drawing by David Livingstone
of a type of monkey called a soko. Read
Livingstone’s facts about the soko and
then complete the table below.
The soko is represented by some to be extremely
knowing, successfully stalking men and women
while at their work, kidnapping children, and
running up trees with them – he comes down when
tempted by a bunch of bananas, and as he lifts that,
drops the child.
The soko eats no flesh – small bananas are his
dainties, but not maize. His food consists of wild
fruits, which abound.
The lion kills him at once, and sometimes tears his
limbs off, but does not eat him.
They live in communities of about ten, each having
his own female.
Scotland
Copyright © National Library of
The soko is so cunning, and has such sharp eyes,
that no one can stalk him in front without being
seen, hence, when shot, it is always in the back;
when surrounded by men and nets, he is generally
speared in the back too.
Sokos collect together, and make a drumming noise,
some say with hollow trees, then burst forth into
loud yells.
From The Last Journals of David Livingstone in Central Africa
1. What is the soko’s habitat? (Where does it live?)
2. How many sokos live together?
3. What food does the soko eat?
4. What two predators does the soko have? (What kills a soko?)
5. What noise does a soko make with its mouth?
[ THE ADVENTURER ]
6. What noise does a soko make with its hands?
Livingstone_text.indd 38
7. What does a soko do to children?
8. What personality does a soko have?
Monkeying around
Now you know all about sokos, why not become one! Make yourself look like a monkey with a long
tail and then use the climbing frame or monkey bars in your playground to make your very own soko
habitat.
29/09/2014 21:30
Answers
MONKEY BUSINESS
1. Sokos live in trees
2. About 10
3. Bananas and wild fruits
4. Lions and humans
5. Loud yells
6. Drumming noises, some say with hollow trees
7. Kidnaps children
8. Cunning and cheeky
Livingstone_text.indd 72
29/09/2014 21:36