Monkeys at Silver River Forest, Florida


It's true, they are there!!

Rhesus macaques, Macaca mulatta, have the widest geographic ranges of any nonhuman primate, occupying a great diversity of habitats throughout Central, South and Southeast Asia.

Often found in arid, open areas, rhesus macaques also like grasslands, woodlands and mountainous regions up to 8,000 feet in elevation. Unlike most monkeys, they are regular swimmers. Babies as young as a few days old can swim, and adults are known to swim over a half mile between islands!



Rhesus macaques commonly move from rural to urban areas, learning to survive on human refuse or work for handouts. They adapt very well to human presence and often form larger troops in human-dominated landscapes than in forests!

A colony of rhesus macaques was established around Silver Springs in Florida in the late 1930's. The monkeys were released by tour boat operator Colonel Tooey, to enhance his Jungle Cruise ride.



Rumors that the monkeys were released for scenery enhancement in the Tarzan movies that were filmed at that location is false, as the only Tarzan movie filmed in the area, 1939's Tarzan Finds a Son! contains no rhesus macaques.



The rhesus macaques population established and continues to thrive along the Silver River. As of September 12, 2013 more than 1000 rhesus macaques live in Florida. Over the past decade, officials have caught & euthanized more than 700 monkeys, as many wildlife officials consider the animals a public health hazard.



Denise Byrne
Marine Biologist/OW, Tech and Cave Instructor
denise@dayo.com
Orlando, Florida