In light of the recent reports of hairy, four-handed beasts either attacking humans and destroying plants, in at least two parishes, one man is convinced that the phantom creatures are apes, brought to Jamaica through the illicit guns-for-drug trade with Haiti.

Speaking with THE STAR yesterday, voodoo artist Dr Morung, from the island's western end, said that the beasts behind the recent reports in the media came to the island on drug boats as a means of added protection.

"De man dem wha inna de guns-for-drug trade ova dere (Haiti) dem carry de apes on de boat to Jamaica because when dey get here, they want to mek sure de boat secure while they transact their business," Dr Morung said. "So dem lef de ape dem inna de boat fi watch and scare people if dem come near it."

The voodoo man said that in some instances, the ape might wonder off and is left behind.

Witch doctor

When asked what made him so sure of his theory, the witch doctor responded: "I travel go Haiti nuff due to my work and mi kno dat nuff ape ova deh because de Haitian dem love use animals in their craft and dem will carry de ape pon de boat dem fi scare off people."

The man also continued that the "big, hairy, bushlike, four-handed" description that is used to describe the creatures in recent reports is in keeping with the type of apes he has seen in Haiti.

When THE STAR contacted spokesman for Operation Kingfish, Detective Sergeant Jubert Llewellyn, however, the policeman could not confirm having seen any of the animals in their operations.

"I have been on a lot of operations and I have never had that experience, so I could not speak to that," the lawman said.

Llewellyn said that he would not want to go overboard and link the recent reports to this theory. Instead, he said that the creature may be nothing more that a large rodent, much like the capibara.

A representative from the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) yesterday said that they, too had "no knowledge of apes being present in Jamaica" or the Caribbean for that matter. The source said that while they have had some reports in the past, there has been no evidence to substantiate the claims.

In the meantime, a source close to the illicit trade between both islands also denied the claim.

Furry creature

In recent times, residents of both Port Morant, St Thomas and Clark's Town in Manchester have reported having encounters with a furry creature. In the St Thomas episode last week, a nine-year-old girl related how she was playing with friends when a bushy beast held on to her legs and tried to snatch her away. Luckily, she was rescued.

Sometime before that incident, a farmer from the Clifton Hill area of the parish recalled having a run-in with a similar monster. During that encounter, the man escaped but his dog was eaten.

In the first incident in March, farmers in Clark's Town vowed to capture an elusive four-handed creature, which had been destroying banana plants in that community for over a year. Residents said the beast appeared monkey-like.

The Mandeville police said they had heard of the creature and, just like residents, are anxiously awaiting an encounter.