This Christmas season, Orange County, Florida is being visited by a special guest: monkeys. The Orange County Police in Florida on December 16 issued a warning to the public after receiving reports about multiple sightings of monkeys in the area.
According to reports, though this is not the first time monkeys were spotted in Florida, it is not very common to see monkeys in Orange County, which is why the sightings are arousing curiosity and concern among the public. Here are some key witnesses of the Florida Monkey sightings.
Fox 35, reports the words of Ines, who runs St. Johns River Eco Tours, one of the witnesses of Florida Monkey sightings,
"It caught me completely off guard, not something you see in Orange City every day."
Innes further expanded to WKMG about his first meeting with a monkey,
"I looked up into a tree and kind of went, ‘What’s that!?’. I got a little bit closer and realized that I had a monkey probably about 30 feet from me. And trust me, that’s not something you see out here on a regular basis whatsoever, so I was shocked"
Evelyn Coira Arquette told WKMG- a CBS affiliate that she initially mistook the monkey for a cat until she took a closer look.
"I have three cats and so I looked at his body and was like, 'Wow that's really big. I mean, we're talking about four feet probably long."
However, the public is advised to control their curiosity and be careful when you spot a monkey, try not to approach them at all, because of possible aggressive behavior and the spread of diseases, instead inform the authorities.
According to reports, the Florida Wildlife Commission is still investigating to locate the origin of these Florida monkeys. Meanwhile, CBS reported that it could not be confirmed whether the residents are spotting the same monkey or whether there is more than one monkey on the loose.
Florida Monkey Sightings: What to keep in mind?
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rule (2017), it is prohibited to feed wild monkeys. So, unless one is actively seeking legal trouble, it is better to keep a distance.
The warnings against feeding and approaching a wild monkey are issued by the authorities for the safety of the public as feeding monkeys may cause aggressive behavior. Moreover, monkey bites or scratches can be dangerous.
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According to U.S. Today, Monkey bites and scratches are also a health concern as they carry infections, especially since the rhesus macaques monkeys can infect one with Herpes B. And if by chance you were attacked or accidentally scratched by a monkey seek medical attention.
The public is advised to contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission wildlife alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC or 888-404-3922. Otherwise, you can provide information at myfwc.com/wildlifealert in case of Florida Monkey sightings.
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