Could Jamaica face a monkey crisis like St Kitts?

White-faced capuchin monkeys — a species with no natural place in Jamaica's ecosystems — have been spotted and captured across at least six communities in the southern parish of St Elizabeth, triggering a multi-agency response. Sightings were reported in Lacovia, Elgin, Mountainside, Newell, Hounslow and Malvern, with videos circulating on social media showing up to three of the animals in the area.

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) confirmed the identifications and issued a public advisory warning residents not to approach, handle, or attempt to capture the animals. At least one monkey has already been taken by community members and may still be in private possession — a situation NEPA has flagged as both a health risk and a potential criminal matter.

NEPA is coordinating with the Veterinary Services Division, the Jamaica Constabulary Force and Hope Zoo to locate the animals and place them in quarantine for veterinary assessment. Community stakeholders have also been engaged as part of the effort.

The agency stressed that importing, possessing or trading wildlife without the required permits is illegal under the Endangered Species (Protection, Conservation and Regulation of Trade) Act, and may be connected to illicit wildlife trafficking. Breaches carry fines of up to $2 million. NEPA also cautioned the public to be wary of individuals falsely claiming to represent authorities in order to retrieve the animals for illegal purposes.

• Species identified as white-faced capuchin monkeys, not native to Jamaica • Sightings confirmed in six St Elizabeth communities: Lacovia, Elgin, Mountainside, Newell, Hounslow and Malvern • Up to three monkeys sighted; at least one captured by community members • NEPA, Veterinary Services Division, JCF and Hope Zoo are jointly investigating • Holding wildlife without permits carries fines up to $2 million under Jamaican law • NEPA warned of scammers falsely claiming to represent authorities

The presence of non-native capuchin monkeys in Jamaica represents a potential invasive species crisis if the animals are not swiftly contained. 

Even a small, unmanaged population of non-native primates can establish itself rapidly, as the Caribbean's experience with green monkeys in St Kitts, Barbados, and Sint Maarten demonstrates. 

In St Kitts alone, crude estimates indicated that 90 metric tons of food — one full month's production — was rendered unmarketable in a single year due to feral animal invasion, according to reporting on regional monkey management issues. 

For Jamaica, where food security and agricultural output are ongoing concerns, the stakes are high.

"Persons in breach of Jamaica's import requirements can be fined a maximum of $2 million under the Endangered Species (Protection, Conservation and Regulation of Trade) Act."

— NEPA official media release, April 2026

Monkeys and the Caribbean have a long, complicated history — and it rarely ends well for the islands involved.

Green vervet monkeys, brought to St Kitts and Nevis by European settlers in the 17th century as exotic pets, now number over 60,000 — nearly double the human population. The agricultural toll is staggering: in 2018 alone, crude estimates showed that 90 metric tons of food — an entire month's production — was rendered unmarketable on St Kitts due to feral animal raids. Three in four farms across the island are now affected.

Sint Maarten, facing a surging vervet population, approved a full culling programme to euthanise at least 450 monkeys over three years. Barbados, where green monkeys arrived over 350 years ago, continues to battle crop losses to this day.

Jamaica itself is not without primate history — the island was once home to Xenothrix mcgregori, an unusual native monkey driven to extinction by human activity. Today, no primates belong in Jamaica's wild. The appearance of white-faced capuchins in St Elizabeth is not a novelty — it is a warning the rest of the region has already learned the hard way.

Viewpoint: The Caribbean's experience with non-native primates is a cautionary tale told in crop losses and culling programmes. St Kitts and Nevis now manages over 60,000 green monkeys — nearly double its human population — after centuries of unchecked growth. In 2018 alone, feral animals rendered 90 metric tons of food unmarketable on St Kitts in a single year, with three in four farms now affected. Sint Maarten approved a full cull of at least 450 vervet monkeys over three years. Barbados has battled crop damage for over 350 years. Jamaica's multi-agency mobilisation is exactly the right response — and the speed of that response may determine whether this becomes a footnote or a crisis.

Viewpoint: White-faced capuchins do not wander into St Elizabeth from the wild — someone brought them to Jamaica. NEPA has flagged a possible link to illicit wildlife trafficking, and that thread must be pulled hard. The $2 million maximum fine under the Endangered Species Act exists for precisely this reason. If prosecutions do not follow a confirmed trafficking connection, the fine remains a paper deterrent.

Viewpoint: At least one monkey is believed to be in private hands. NEPA's warning about scammers impersonating authorities complicates community outreach at the worst possible time. Getting St Elizabeth residents to surrender the animals voluntarily — rather than hide them — requires clear, credible communication from agencies that communities already trust.