BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – EVER heard the famous saying ‘Monkey see Monkey do’? Well some monkeys have been taking that statement literally and have been seen mimicking human beings as they observe them socialising on the island’s beaches.
Meet Sarah, who is only one year and eleven months old and whom we can already describe as a good drinker, after we watched her gulp down an entire Carib beer earlier today. After doing that, she could hardly gain her composure.
Sarah belongs to the Vervet Monkey species – a species said to be alcoholic-prone. The liquor-loving monkeys are known to sneak up and gobble down alcoholic drinks left momentarily unattended.
Some Vervet Monkeys tend to drink in moderation; some are steady drinkers while others drink to the last drop as Sarah does.
They not only sneak a taste of your drinks when you are not looking, but some monkeys on certain beaches are even bold enough to grab your food and run off back into the bushes to their families.
According to research the Vervet Monkeys were originally brought to the island as pets by the French in 1665. They were introduced to the tantalizing effects of umbrella-laden mojitos and tequila shots by tourists a few decades ago. However, not surprisingly, they seemed to have developed a heavy tolerance for it.
Sarah is a frequent visitor at Reggae Beach but is owned by a Cayon resident who uses her as a tourist attraction and who encourages visitors to take photos with her.
