Risky Monkey Business - Animals being smuggled into the island

S ome Jamaicans have been monkeying around with dangerous animals, and in the process are putting the health and lives of persons on the island at risk. That is why the authorities want you to rat them out.

In a disturbing discovery, a monkey capable of spreading the deadly Ebola virus, was found in Jacks Hill, St Andrew, this week. It appeared the animal escaped from his owners in the upscale community.

"Having these animals as pet is an extremely dangerous practice and it's careless and reckless. Anyone who does this clearly does not love their island because not only are they endangering their health but also that of the entire Jamaican population," Dr Osbil Watson, chief veterinary officer at the Veterinary Services Division, told THE WEEKEND STAR.

Jacks Hill residents on Tuesday summoned the authorities after they spotted a monkey in their area. As part of the investigations, the immediate environment as well as the premises suspected of harbouring the monkey were searched, however, that effort was unsuccessful. The team, however, left baited traps overnight. This was successful. The monkey was caught in the trap on Wednesday.

Watson said that the animal was apparently smuggled into the island.

Illegal to have monkeys

"We would not give a permit to a citizen to import a monkey. Under the law, we can grant a permit for any animal to be kept in a zoo, or for the purpose of a circus, so any individual that have them in their possession or at home is breaking the law. Clearly, they are being smuggled into the island because prior to this we have captured others in the past. This monkey is not the first or the second," he said.

In July, a monkey was spotted in Potsdam, located in the cool hills of St Elizabeth near Malvern. The animal spent a week in a man's backyard before disappearing.

"These creatures may look pretty but they can harbour dangerous pathogens and if any of these animals are suffering from rabies, those animals can attack their owners injuring or even killing them. When an animal has rabies, it literally gets crazy because rabies affect the neurological system," Watson said.

"We really want the population to be on the lookout for persons who are endangering themselves and the health of the nation by harbouring these animals. These animals come from the wild and when humans go into their habitat, then there is a major problem. We have seen it with Ebola, Chik-V, Zika and other viruses that affect wild animals. In their habitats it might not be detrimental to them, but when humans engage themselves with these animals, then there are going to be some serious health risks," he added.

He said that the monkey that was captured in Jacks Hill will be subjected to a series of tests to determine if it has diseases.

"When we test, hopefully, we may not find anything that would have been of concern to us, but if the results are the opposite then we will have to contact our colleagues in the Ministry of Health, who will go in the area and do their disease surveillance," Watson said.