Monkey Business

Another backlash of the illegal pet trade has been identified, one which could have serious long term effects on the country’s already struggling agricultural sector. Sightings of a species of monkeys have been reported in the Des Rameaux area of Babonneau. This is an alarm bell to the Ministry of Agriculture and specifically the Forestry Department, since these primates have caused tens of millions of dollars worth of damage on our sister islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Barbados. Saint Lucia can ill afford such an attack on our food production, livelihood of farmers, effects on our forest reserves and risks to our biodiversity.
Given the higher intelligence of primates and the wide variety of food they consume they are very adaptable and are therefore extremely hard to track and trap. There is almost a limitless potential for their population to expand to inhabit new territory, it is therefore of paramount importance that we prevent their establishment here in Saint Lucia and save the costly task both in manpower and time necessary to control an outbreak of this most formidable pest.

One can only remember the huge mobilization of resources to tackle the still present giant African snail problem once they were allowed to get established. We have learnt from these mistakes in the not so distant past and are mobilizing officers to deal with the problem. This activity however can’t be successful without the partnership of the general public in the form of information.
We urge the people of the Desrameaux area to be vigilant and to immediately report any sightings of monkeys or their activities to Mr. David Lewis, Northern Range Officer 720 2377 or 451 6168, Mr. Donald Anthony, Wildlife Officer 715 2366 or 468 5644, or the Forestry Department’s main office 468 5635.
The Department would also like to remind the general public that it is illegal to import any wildlife into St Lucia or to keep in captivity any wildlife without a permit from the Forestry Department in accordance to the Wildlife Ordinance Act 1980.