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Marty Offline OP
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The monkeys are beloved by tourists, whose money the islands depend upon. And then, what can be done with the monkeys once they are caught?

The could be "simply euthanized, or sold, or used to manufacture dog food or eaten, or whatever, is still an ongoing discussion," Knight said.

"When you skin it you'd be surprised at how much meat some of those monkeys have on their bones," he said. "Cook it up in a stew, well, it's very nice, very flavorful. Tastes a lot like goat. Why, I'd like some right now.


Residents of two tiny two islands in the Caribbean are fed up with an exploding population of Vervet Monkeys that ravages agriculture, and one solution being floated is to round them up and eat them.

The 50,000 residents of St. Kitts and Nevis, a tiny two-island federation about 215 miles east of Puerto Rico, have co-existed with the two-foot-tall, 12-pound primates for hundreds of years, since slave ships brought them from West Africa. But with the population of vervets soaring, the critters' ravenous appetite for fruit, flowers, eggs or anything else they can find, has islanders fighting back.

"Crop losses are tremendous. We have some farmers who lose everything," Randy Elliott, agricultural supervisor in Nevis, told The Associated Press.

The monkeys have become bolder, mounting their raids from the forests with increasing regularity. And, Elliott says, they're getting stronger.

"They're getting more muscular," he said. "I've seen males with six-pack abs."

Gene Knight, policy research analyst for St. Kitts' agriculture ministry, said strategies for controlling the vervet population, estimated at 25,000 or more, could include more trapping. But that raises two problems: The monkeys are beloved by tourists, whose money the islands depend upon. And then, what can e done with the monkeys once they are caught?

The could be "simply euthanized, or sold, or used to manufacture dog food or eaten, or whatever, is still an ongoing discussion," Knight said.

Joseph Kelly, a St. Kitts resident in his 60s, told the AP getting more people to eat vervet, once a common practice, is the most practical solution.

"When you skin it you'd be surprised at how much meat some of those monkeys have on their bones," he said. "Cook it up in a stew, well, it's very nice, very flavorful. Tastes a lot like goat. Why, I'd like some right now."

NBC Chicago

Joined: May 2003
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J
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J
They are so cute! Although, I recall looking out the kitchen window where we staying on St. Kitts, and watching one, literally two feet from me, devouring every single bloom in the flower bed.

I can see where they would be a problem. Can't imagine eating one though.....

Joined: May 2011
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Originally Posted by JeanH
They are so cute! Although, I recall looking out the kitchen window where we staying on St. Kitts, and watching one, literally two feet from me, devouring every single bloom in the flower bed.

I can see where they would be a problem. Can't imagine eating one though.....


Wonder what made their population blow out? They were fairly unusual when we were there in the early 80's

As to flavor Jean, I'd proabbly give them a go if it were done in the style of the St Kitts hot pot. What was that? goats head soup?

Joined: Apr 2000
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S
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Many years ago there was a scientific article claiming that because monkey/apes were so close to humans the African practice of eating monkeys was the beginning of aids in the human race

Joined: May 2011
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Hmmmmm... after a few bowls of soup I may need to be tested...

Joined: Oct 2003
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C
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I can already see my hubby planning a trip to St. Kitts now; he'll eat anything

Joined: Dec 2006
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Originally Posted by SP Daily
Many years ago there was a scientific article claiming that because monkey/apes were so close to humans the African practice of eating monkeys was the beginning of aids in the human race

I read the same story but the infection didn't come from eating it. It comes from being bitten in the process of catching the monkey.


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Originally Posted by elbert
Originally Posted by SP Daily
Many years ago there was a scientific article claiming that because monkey/apes were so close to humans the African practice of eating monkeys was the beginning of aids in the human race

I read the same story but the infection didn't come from eating it. It comes from being bitten in the process of catching the monkey.


There is some reason to believe that consumption was a possibilty, however it is acknowledged as a "slim" one, (bad pun sorry). Another likely scenario, involving hunters and considered very likely, is repeated blood contact by hunters cleaning their prey.

Last edited by Bear; 10/06/11 10:22 PM.
Joined: Jun 2008
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R
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R
St. Kitts, Nevis and Montserrat have always been a little "different" than the other Eastern Caribbean Islands. Anyone who has been there for a while knows what I mean. This is probably due to their isolation from the rest of the Caribbean being to the west of the string of Eastern Caribbean Islands making it difficult to sail to the other Islands from there especially for the poorer people.

Many times I've seen natives walking down the street in the country carrying strange animals killed for dinner. Iguanas especially. It isn't only the food though.

In Bequia, just south of St. Vincent's it used to be quite common to see slaughtered dolphins in the market. Finally to calm down the tourist they moved that part of the market off the main street and a little out of view. They still legally kill a whale or two every year there for food as far as I know. They do this by hand from very small vessels. Having said that I really like Bequia for beauty of the Island and the traditional wood boat building tradition.


Jim
Formerly from somewhere on a beach in Belize
Joined: May 2011
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Jim

Yeah that was an eye opener but not surprising given the cultural heritage of the Greanadines as one of the few Caribbean whaling cultures. If you cant get whale, get "mini-whale" seemed to be the order of the day.

On our first visit to St Vincent the sale of freshly caught dolphin was a typical sight in the weekly markets. When I asked about it people just considered it normal fare not an unusual delicacy or anything more like, well hamburger.

The vendors and the small group of people stopped to see & listen in just started to laugh when I began to answer their questions and tried to explain how appalled (horrified might be better) north americans and europeans (well non-scandinavians at any rates!) would be over the hunting and consumption of whale and dolphin, particularly as that activity seems so foreign in a tropical setting. I never did get a chance to try it but would have if I'd had the chance.

By the way when you were on Bequia was Spring Plantation still running their hotel? Pam and Rosie were great but I suspect that marriage ended badly. Iys also such a shame that the damned casino on Canouan created the racial strife it did. Prior to that debacle the people on Canouan were some of the friendliest most charming people we had ever met...I hold those memories to the end...I also recall Hairoun beer wasnt bad either!

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