Sint Maarten approves plan to destroy entire population of vervet monkeys
The government of Sint Maarten in the eastern Caribbean has approved a controversial plan to cull its entire population of vervet monkeys, as the proliferation of the invasive species becomes an increasing nuisance on the Dutch island territory.
Authorities will fund the Nature Foundation St Maarten NGO to capture and euthanise at least 450 monkeys over the next three years in the territory which borders French St Martin.
“When a species establishes a population in an area that it isn’t native to there are often no predators to keep the population size under control,” said the foundation’s manager, Leslie Hickerson. “Species management is an important aspect of keeping the island healthy for those who come after us.”
But not everyone agrees, with critics of the plan arguing that sterilisation and environment management should instead be considered.
Vervet monkeys, characterised by their dappled grey brown bodies and black faces fringed with white fur, are native to southern and eastern Africa but can also be found in some Caribbean islands such as St Kitts and Nevis, where the population has grown to the tens of thousands.
The monkeys were introduced to the region sometime around the 17th century when European settlers were thought to have brought them over as exotic pets.
Research carried out by the Nature Foundation St Maarten found in 2020 that about 450 vervet monkeys were living on the Dutch side of the island.
An updated survey has not yet been completed, but according to a foundation press release, initial numbers indicate a large increase in troop size.
“The number of monkeys in Sint Maarten will continue to grow if no measures are taken, and the consequences to Sint Maarten’s native ecosystems will be severe,” it said.
Farmers have complained of vervet monkeys “raiding their crops and destroying their livelihood”, the foundation said.
But Dave Du Toit, founder of the Vervet Monkey Foundation in South Africa, where the species is native, said the cull was unlikely to work.
“I think a better approach and more publicly acceptable would be to vasectomise the males and sterilise the females,” he said.
The non-profit, which shelters orphaned and injured primates, also educates the public on the role of vervet monkeys in the ecosystem and how to prevent human-monkey conflict.
