Dear Editor,

Members of the Olympic Gardens Community are baffled by the seeming incursion and multiplication of these slender carnivorous mammals called mongoose.

With their short-swift legs they run from house to house in search of food, causing havoc and fright.

Some residents try to retreat the attack in their own way, while others ignore the increasing takeover.

The issue is growing among residents, and it’s time to make the public aware of the nuisance this animal is causing in the area.

“These rat-like animals are eating my duck eggs,” a community barber complained. “I don’t understand how dem just start appear from nowhere.”

In 1872 the mongoose became popular in Jamaica. This animal and its big family were brought in the island to combat the rat population that dominated the sugar cane fields. The Jamaican sugar plantations were successfully liberated of its pest, but little did the people know that this animal would soon battle them for their homes.

“Mi guh inna mi yard and si di mongoose pon mi fridge top a eat mi crackers,” a community member shared.

“I never know seh dem travel in a group,” another resident added.

Residents of the Olympic Gardens community are now ensuring that their grasses are cut very low to lessen accommodation of the mongooses.

They are mostly seen between the hours 8:00 am and 12 noon. They would travel in packs and are very loyal to their group. Their ability to sense danger is impeccable, and this gives them an advantage for they are intelligent and cunning in nature.

A well-known youth of the community shared how scared he was when he encountered the animal. He saw a pack in his yard, and to scare them he threw stones where they gathered. The frighten mongooses scaled the wall and chased into the road behind his house. He then went outside to continue with his tactic, but the most courageous of the mongooses stood on its two legs and made a strange scream at the boy. The boy shared how swiftly he stepped backwards and went in his house.

When he shared this story with his neighbors they were concerned, but could not resist the temptation to mock the boy of his experience.

One of the female neighbors said, “Di mongoose stand up and seh, ‘Wait, a who a throw stone affa mi?’ “

While in some areas residents and mongooses play clash of clans, others see the mongooses as no threat. Some have shared that they are like pets to them, and they do their job by getting rid of rodents.

Members of the Penwood Seventh-day Adventist Church can attest to the spread of the mongoose population. Congregants would see the mongooses running on the walls of the church as they conduct their Saturday services. It is believed that their habitat is in the field facing the church.

As I write, many residents are typing in their search engines, “How to get rid of mongoose in yard?” Google provides a reasonable answer, but will this method obliterate them or conceal them for a time? This question is on the forefront of residents mind.

While plans are created, mongooses take the time to be fruitful and multiply. Perhaps the members of Government or an agency could assist by sending professionals to catch some of the mongooses by installing traps within the community, or maybe there’s a poison to eradicate them, but one thing is for sure: These mongooses must go!

Alexious Gonzales

alexiousgonzales6@gmail.com