The Vervet Monkeys Late Steve Smit Raced Out to Sea to Save

Photo Credit: Carol Booth

Steve’s passing has left the wildlife community grieving, but his love and compassion for animals live on. Here’s a special update on three vervet monkeys he rescued out at sea last year…

Durban, South Africa (21 September 2026) – Exactly one year ago, three vervet monkeys became unexpected stowaways on a large freight ship leaving Durban.

The trio had climbed aboard while the vessel was docked and, unbeknownst to the crew, ended up heading out to sea with it.

By the time they were spotted running between freight containers, the ship was already around 90 minutes from shore and making its way towards international waters.

Monkey Helpline was called, and their rescue became a race against time.

The late Steve Smit – co-founder of Monkey Helpline and one of South Africa’s fiercest champions for vervet monkeys – made his way out with fellow rescuer Daniel Stewart.

They had never attempted a rescue beyond the breakers before. If the ship reached international waters before they could get there, the odds of bringing the monkeys safely back home were slim.

But they made it. Within a few hours, Steve and Daniel were back on land with all three vervets safely delivered to Monkey Helpline’s facility. All three little primates were scrawny, stressed and covered in coal dust. One of the males was missing a hand, believed to have been lost through Durban’s muthi trade. The second male had an injured left eye. The female was frightened and stayed close to her companions.

Thankfully, they were saved and in the hands of Steve and his long-time partner, Carol, who could give them the care and time they needed to recover.

It’s a year later now, and their story carries even more meaning…

Last month, South Africa said goodbye to its beloved ‘Monkey Man’ after Steve lost his long battle with cancer.

His passing has left an enormous hole in the wildlife community he had spent so much of his life serving. Steve fought against wildlife exploitation and animal cruelty, and even during the final months of his life, he continued showing up for animals that had nobody else to turn to.

The beautiful thing about a life spent doing good is that the work does not stop when that life ends.

The impact that Steve has made lives on, in the thousands of animals he helped rescue and in the people he worked alongside and inspired. It also lives in three vervet monkeys who, one year after an extraordinary rescue at sea, are moving closer to freedom…

Carol shared an update about the trio this week:

“A year ago when Daniel and Steve went out to sea for a rescue of three Vervet monkeys ‘stowaway’ on a large ship.

Steve had such a great experience and all three monkeys were rescued successfully.

After quarantine, they’ve been introduced to a few other rescues and will go into a Rehabilitation to be released back into the wild in three years time.

Hoping this time they remain far from sea.”

Steve will not be there to see that day himself. But when it comes, three monkeys will disappear back into the trees because someone believed their little lives were worth racing out to sea for. That someone was Steve. Forever the vervet monkey hero.

To support and find out more about the Monkey Helpline and the work they continue to do, visit their Facebook page here or their website here.