Monkeys Playing In St. Kitts – Nevis
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
November 23, 2009 (CUOPM)
The Government has acquired the services of a Cuban expert to manage the growing threat of roving troupes of monkeys to the crops of farmers.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs. Hermia Morton Anthony said Cuban-born primate expert, Dr. Santos Orlando Cubillas Hernandez has arrived in St. Kitts and will conduct a survey of the monkey populations.
“He will determine the population of Green Monkeys on St. Kitts, determine the distribution of Green Monkeys on St. Kitts, determine demographics ““ gender and age, and develop a plan for reducing/managing the monkey population,” said Morton-Anthony.
Dr. Cubillas, who holds a masters degree in animal science and has vast experience in primate population studies, is also expected to produce GIS maps showing distribution of monkeys on St. Kitts, management plans for reducing population and maintaining reduced population, facilitate meetings with staff, farmers and other interest groups to discuss findings, provide progress reports every three months and provide a detailed end of Mission report and a list of recommendation.
Mrs. Morton-Anthony said the implementation of the recommendations should lead to a significant reaction in crop damage and encroachment into residential areas.
Prior to his arrival meetings were held with representatives from research institutions, trappers, farmers and the Ministry.
The monkey population is said to be bigger than the human population.
You need to become familiar with our people and culture before you jump to conclusions. Guess u would prefer we maintain the 80% import bill for food mainly from the US to prop up that economy rather than take steps to ensure that our farmers could make a livelihood and living from their produce. You should see a small farm destroyed by a troop of monkey and a human family go hungry while u look on in righteous indignation. It is not only tourists that are humans in this country of SKN.
Has something been done?? I have lived here for a month now and I have only seen but a few monkeys one or two times… I heard about all the monkeys, I watched the videos and yet no monkeys. There are better ways to control populations other than just killing. Selective sterilization would help in controlling the numbers, however, I have not seen many here.
The islands need to cut down drastically on the monkey population, maybe you ship them elsewhere
I can see it now…time to kill, I mean cull, the monkeys to make way fro more tourists on an already overly developed island.
For Shame!
PS…maybe the Ross University Students can use them for experiments