monkeys

Ok! Everyone seems really desperate to hear all about the monkeys, so it seems the logical choice to make my first real post about them. Here on the island the local (human) population is about 45,000. This number doesn't include any of the tourists, students attending Ross, or students at any of the other three medical schools on our island. Estimated monkey population? Well, no one can say for sure, but its probably about double the human population. They are everywhere! They are about medium-sized, maybe about 45 pounds, and have prehensile tails (can use them to climb). If any of you heard about the Rhesus Macaque monkeys i used to work with, those had cheek pouches and short stubby tails. (I haven't decided yet which i like better, but both species are pretty darn cute).

Cute they may be, but they are also extremely destructive. They have nearly wiped out the entire population of birds and small mammals that used to live in the rain forests on the other side of the island, and local farmers keep dogs (they call them coconut retrievers) to chase them off the crops. We have a mango tree in our backyard, but apparently the monkeys steal most of the fruit during the growing season. They have basically taken over the whole island. Brittany even saw a couple of them drinking out of the pool at the hotel (butts sticking up into the air). I'll try to get a copy of the picture for you guys.

The humans seem to have their revenge, however. It is common practice for locals to trap wild monkey and sell them to the research station on the other end of the island. Any babies that they find they sell as pets. We saw a woman on the beach yesterday with one of these infants (he was really really small). It was clinging to her chest and whimpering. It was really a sad sight to see.

We went to Reggae beach today on the other side of the island, and among other animals, they also had a pet monkey. This one was a juvenile and they had built him a huge cage where he can run around and play in. Oh yes, and they also gave him a goat to play with. The two of them were romping around the cage, chasing each other and pinning each other to the ground. It was a pretty funny sight but seemed to be a perfect match. This particular monkey seems to have an affection for sunglasses as well. Brittany (my roommate) bent down to give him a belly rub, and he jumped up, reached through the cage, and pulled the glasses off the top of her head! He had quite a fun time trying them on, tasting them, and then using them as plow pushing it through the sand ahead of him. The keeper eventually had to come over and trick him into giving them back to us.

We vowed to bring some enrichment items for him next time we visit that beach.

The view on the way to Reggae Beach. On the left (with the white caps) is the Atlantic. On the right (much calmer) is the Caribbean.