Silver Springs Monkeys in Florida

(Last Updated On: March 4, 2022)

Once upon a time in the countryside near Ocala, Florida, there were a number of amazing primate species, some of them still living in the wild. The Silver Springs tourist attraction once housed the spider monkeys in Florida along with Gibbons family, some lemurs, and soldiers of the macaque monkey.

Now that the facility is no longer about to display exotic animals, the only primates in that area are the free-range rhesus macaques. They have interesting stories of their own.

Silver Springs Monkeys in Florida history

Since the 1930s, several hundred rhesus macaque monkeys have lived near Silver Springs tourist attractions in Ocala, Florida.

Florida wildlife operators say they want to remove the Rome monkeys from Silver Spring State Park on the Silver River. One of Florida’s first tourist attractions, the park was once known for its natural vista and native wildlife. However, the biggest figure in the park for the last 3 years is its monkey. That’s right – Silver Spring State Park is home to at least 300 rhesus macaques, monkeys in southern and southeast Asia.

Feral rhesus macaques are wild troupes of rhesus macaques published by researchers, zoos or private owners that have been able to survive and propagate in several locations in the United States.

Silver Springs State Park

In the spring of 7, a colony of rhesus macaques was established in Silver Springs, Florida. Monkeys were released by tour boat operator Colonel Toe to extend his jungle cruise ride. Location The story of the monkey that was released to enhance the scenes in the monkeys that were filmed in the area, is the only Tarzan movie that was filmed in the area, Tarzan of 1939 discovers a son! There is no rhesus macaque in some parts due to the bad mood of the species. Monkeys still thrive on the Silver River.

South Florida

In southern Florida, rhesus and other monkey species have been found in various colonies, such as common squirrel monkeys and varlet monkeys. They are believed to have gained independence after destroying hurricanes at zoos and wildlife park opportunities, most notably Hurricane Andrew.

As of September 12, 2013, 1000 rhesus lives in the state of Macau; Officials have captured more than 700 monkeys in the past decade. Most of the monkeys diagnosed have tested positive for the herpes B virus. Wildlife officials consider the animal a danger to public health.

Silver Springs is the source of the monkeys in Florida

Apparently, 12 monkeys were released on an island in the park by a local tour boat operator in the 30s as part of an attempt to start attracting Tarzan-based tourists.

Can you shoot monkeys in Florida?

Here’s a rule you won’t find anywhere except Florida. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recently ruled that feeding wild monkeys is now illegal. Wild monkeys are certainly not citizens of Florida.

Are there any wild monkeys in the United States?

Why There Are No Monkeys From North America There are a fair share of terrifying creatures roaming in North America, but there is one creature that has never had roots: monkeys. There are some wild monkeys in Mexico, but in the US and Canada? None.

In 1981, Dr. Linda Wolf would attract Silver Springs monkeys with peanuts so she could monitor the girls’ fertility rates.

Linda tells us that according to local legends, Tarzan was searching for a son and brought the rhesus monkeys to the area, which was filmed in Silver Springs, on March 7. The monkeys didn’t make it to the movie (“It wasn’t in the script!” Linda said) but they did watch the filming and whenever Johnny Wisemaul sank into the water they screamed in excitement. “I think they were warning him about alligators,” Linda laughed.

In fact, Linda learned that the Monkeys were brought to Silver Springs a while ago by an entrepreneur named Colonel Twy, who was on a jungle cruise boat ride. He built an island on the banks of the shallow silver river and planned to keep the monkeys sometime in 1938, with the idea of increasing his revenue.

However, Colonel Twy obviously thought he (non-swimmer) was getting a squirrel monkey. Instead, he got six rhesus monkeys. “Monkeys were swimming on the island before Colonel Twy could get back on his boat!” Linda said.

Rhesus monkeys are curious and resourceful animals. Linda tried not to get her car too often at her observation site because the monkeys rumbled in (they thought the rear view mirrors were the door handle).

Granted, Colonel Tooy later came up with a few more monkeys, but for the most part, nature only took his way: the monkeys split into the manifold. Several soldiers were stranded on the banks of the Silver River near Silver Springs, west of the original release site. Their regular monkey chow, fruits, and vegetables were provided by the jungle cruise boat captain who wanted to lure their customers closer.

Some monkeys headed east where the Silver River flowed into the Oklawaha River. There, monkeys set up housework in the Ocala National Forest. Some did not provide food for these monkeys, only during the cold winter months, the locals threw their dog kibble out of charity work. These monkeys were on their own – and still, are.