Monkeys in Florida

Florida's three wild monkey species

• Nearly 20 kinds of mammals have been brought into Florida, including five monkey species. (source)
• Three monkey species have wild breeding groups in Florida: rhesus macaques, squirrel monkeys and vervet monkeys. (source)
• FWC lists the same three established wild monkey species in Florida. (source)
• More than 500 nonnative plant and animal species have been brought into Florida, and managing them costs over $500 million a year. (source)
• UF researchers say rhesus macaques pose the biggest ecological and human health threats of Florida's monkeys. (source)
• FWC says wild monkey numbers have grown across the state, and so have health and safety concerns. (source)

How the monkeys got to Silver Springs

• Rhesus macaques were brought to what is now Silver Springs State Park in the mid-1930s. (source)
• The manager of the glass-bottom boat operation reportedly released about six monkeys in the 1930s to draw tourists. (source)
• He put them on an island in the Silver River, not knowing rhesus macaques are strong swimmers. (source)
• The monkeys swam to the nearby forests and their numbers began to grow. (source)
• Around 1948, six more macaques were bought and released on the river's north shore. (source)
• Boat operators used food to lure the monkeys to shore to entertain passengers. (source)
• A CDC interview with a UF researcher gives the same story: a boat captain released six monkeys in the 1930s to boost tourism. (source)

Sources differ: UF EDIS UW412 and CDC (2018) say about six monkeys in the 1930s; an SDSU news story (2016) says no one knows exactly how or when they arrived and calls the boat-pilot account a theory . UF UW412 is the more detailed and more recently updated source.

The Tarzan movie myth

• Local folklore says the monkeys were let loose while the 1939 film "Tarzan Finds a Son" was being made at Silver Springs. (source)
• UF researchers say that is not true: macaques were already there before filming, and none appear in the movie. (source)
• San Diego State University researchers also call the Tarzan rumor debunked. (source)
• Hollywood did film at Silver Springs: scenes from at least 20 movies were shot there, including six Tarzan films. (source)
• Hollywood discovered Silver Springs in the 1930s. (source)

Population over time

• A 1968 study counted 78 monkeys in the park in two groups. (source)
• By the 1980s there were nearly 400 monkeys along the Silver River. (source)
• In 1984, 217 monkeys were trapped and sold for medical research. (source)
• Twenty female macaques were sterilized between 1986 and 1990 to slow growth. (source)
• From 1998 to 2012 a state-permitted trapper caught about 830 macaques; the practice stirred controversy and has stopped. (source)
• Altogether about 1,000 macaques were removed between 1984 and 2012. (source)
• In fall 2015 the park population was estimated at 190 macaques. (source)
• Another UF estimate puts 2015 at about 175 macaques in five groups, and says the population was growing. (source)
• San Diego State researchers' census found 118 monkeys in four groups in the park. (source)

Sources differ: Park population: 190 in fall 2015 vs about 175 in five groups in 2015 (UF UW491, first published 2022, revised 2024 - newest) vs 118 in four groups (SDSU news, Feb 2016, census from roughly 2013 fieldwork). No official count newer than 2015 for the park was found.

How far the monkeys have spread

• By the 1980s, monkeys had spread to forests along the Ocklawaha River. (source)
• By the early 1990s, macaques had been seen as far as 11 miles north and 18.5 miles south of where the Silver and Ocklawaha rivers meet. (source)
• A 2018 study found at least 134 macaques in six groups living along the Ocklawaha River. (source)
• Those Ocklawaha groups ranged at least 20 km (12.4 miles) north and 11 km (6.8 miles) south of where the Silver River joins it. (source)
• Rhesus monkeys have been reported as far north as Jacksonville and as far south as Orlando. (source)
• A CDC-hosted interview says the animals can now be found far outside the park. (source)
• The trapped monkeys studied for herpes B came from the Silver and Ocklawaha rivers in Marion County. (source)

What rhesus macaques look like

• They range from brown to gray and are lighter above the waist than below. (source)
• They have little or no hair on their faces and rumps. (source)
• Their tails are fairly short and cannot grip branches. (source)
• Adult males stand about 1.74 feet and females about 1.54 feet. (source)
• Males average about 17 pounds and females about 11.8 pounds. (source)
• They walk on all fours but stand on their back legs to see better. (source)
• They usually live 25 to 30 years, and up to 40 in captivity. (source)

Native home and family life

• Rhesus macaques have the largest native range of any primate other than humans, from Afghanistan to China. (source)
• They spend time both in trees and on the ground. (source)
• Each group has a single alpha male. (source)
• Females stay with the group they were born into for life, while most males leave once grown. (source)
• Females usually have one baby a year, sometimes twins. (source)
• In forests of their native range, groups usually have about 30 monkeys; in cities, groups can top 75. (source)

What the Silver River monkeys eat

• They mostly eat plants but also eat bird eggs, insects, honeycomb and small animals. (source)
• The park's macaques have been seen eating nearly 50 kinds of plants. (source)
• Researchers saw them eat mostly leaves, buds, flowers, shoots and winged seeds, with ash trees as a mainstay. (source)
• They also eat sedges, grass-like wetland plants, a local habit researchers noted. (source)
• In a UF study with 100 fake nests baited with quail eggs, macaques raided 21 of them. (source)
• Researchers say this does not mean macaques destroy 21 percent of real nests, but they will eat eggs they find. (source)

Feeding changes monkey behavior

• Wild macaques are usually afraid of people, but can turn aggressive when fed. (source)
• Fed monkeys can come to depend on people and guard the feeding spot. (source)
• Researchers watched boaters toss the monkeys hot dogs, apple slices, oranges and peanuts. (source)
• The monkeys tended to ignore canoes and kayaks but ran to the bank when they heard motorboats and pontoons. (source)
• Macaques used to handouts lose their fear of people and may attack when food is around. (source)

Vervet monkeys of Dania Beach

• Vervet monkeys have lived free in Dania Beach, just south of Fort Lauderdale, since the 1940s. (source)
• They escaped from a research facility that brought monkeys over from Africa for biomedical research. (source)
• DNA work showed Florida's vervets are a West African species, Chlorocebus sabaeus. (source)
• A study in the early 1990s counted about 36 vervets in two groups. (source)
• A 2020 census found 40 vervets in four groups, so the colony has grown only a little. (source)
• Why the population stays so steady is still being studied by primate researchers. (source)
• In 2013 two vervets wandered south into Miami-Dade County, and FWC trapped one about 33 miles south of Dania Beach. (source)
• These monkeys are very used to people and are fed often, even though Dania Beach banned feeding monkeys in 1993. (source)
• No official effort has ever been made to control the vervet population. (source)

Squirrel monkeys of Fort Lauderdale

• Florida has had five confirmed free-living squirrel monkey groups, but only one is left. (source)
• The last group came from two pairs released from a social club that settled on a private estate in Fort Lauderdale in the mid-1970s. (source)
• The monkeys foraged across a 35-acre property. (source)
• A 1988 count found 43 squirrel monkeys there. (source)
• By the mid-1990s there were about 27 to 30 monkeys. (source)
• By 2021 just one monkey remained. (source)
• Cold winters and private trappers are blamed for the decline. (source)

Squirrel monkey groups that disappeared

• Silver Springs once had 12 to 15 squirrel monkeys, let out of enclosures into the park around 1960. (source)
• Tourists loved hand-feeding the Silver Springs squirrel monkeys. (source)
• They were gone by the mid-1970s, possibly pushed out by the bigger rhesus macaques. (source)
• Squirrel monkeys roamed Masterpiece Gardens, a tourist attraction near Lake Wales, and were last seen in 1989, likely lost to cold weather. (source)
• A group lived along the Gordon River in Naples until around 2010. (source)
• The Naples group shrank to three monkeys by 2009. (source)
• In 2002 Naples considered an ordinance to stop trapping the monkeys, but it was turned down the next year. (source)
• Activists released about 65 squirrel monkeys on the Florida Atlantic University campus in 1970. (source)
• The campus monkeys lasted until 1976, when the last three were reported. (source)

Rhesus colonies that were removed

• A lab-animal breeding company stocked rhesus macaques on two Florida Keys islands in the 1970s for biomedical research. (source)
• In 1973, 1,383 macaques were placed on Key Lois. (source)
• Between 1978 and 1980 about half were moved to Raccoon Key. (source)
• By the mid-1990s the monkeys had destroyed 30 acres of mangroves on Key Lois alone. (source)
• A judge ordered the monkeys removed in 1997. (source)
• The company removed the monkeys from the islands in 1999 and 2000. (source)
• A Titusville amusement park, Tropical Wonderland, closed in 1976 and its rhesus macaques escaped or were let go. (source)
• By 1977, 35 to 75 macaques roamed the Titusville area and residents reported attacks. (source)
• The Titusville monkeys were last seen in the early 1990s. (source)

Semi-captive monkey sites

• Florida has two known places where monkeys live in semi-captive enclosures. (source)
• A resort owns an island in the Homosassa River that had 4 spider monkeys in 2021. (source)
• The monkeys' foraging killed the island's palm trees, so it is now planted with cedars. (source)
• In 1933 six long-tailed macaques were brought to a forest near Miami to study how they adapted. (source)
• Their fenced home later became the attraction Monkey Jungle. (source)
• In 2021 Monkey Jungle housed nine primate species. (source)
• Its semi-captive enclosures use tall electrified fences with no roofs. (source)
• About 110 long-tailed macaques lived there in 2021, all descended from the original six. (source)

Herpes B virus: what it is and who carries it

• Rhesus macaques at Silver Springs have tested positive for herpes B virus. (source)
• The virus rarely makes macaques sick, and they shed it only now and then. (source)
• Of monkeys trapped from 2000 to 2012, an average of 25% per year had antibodies showing exposure. (source)
• In fall 2015, 4% to 14% of sampled monkeys were shedding the virus in their saliva. (source)
• No shedding was found in spring or summer or in feces. (source)
• Stress can wake the virus up so a monkey becomes infectious again, a cycle that can repeat for life. (source)

Herpes B virus: how it spreads and the risk to people

• The virus spreads through body fluids, including through bites and scratches. (source)
• Park visitors are most likely to be exposed through monkey saliva from bites and scratches. (source)
• Untreated, about half of human infections cause fatal brain inflammation. (source)
• There has never been a confirmed case of a person catching herpes B from a wild macaque, despite at least 18 reported bites or scratches in Florida. (source)
• FWC says there are no documented cases of free-roaming macaques giving herpes B to people in Florida, but the risk grows as contact increases. (source)
• A UF researcher in a CDC interview called it a low-risk, high-consequence threat, similar to how rabies is treated. (source)

Sources differ: Human fatality share: CDC EID (Feb 2018) says about 50% of untreated infections are fatal; UF UW412 says nearly half (21) of 50 lab cases were fatal; the CDC podcast (Feb 2018) says about 50 people died, about 70 percent of those infected in labs . UW412 page is the most recently updated (references accessed 2022).

If a monkey bites or scratches you

• Anyone bitten or scratched by a macaque should get medical care right away and follow CDC guidance. (source)
• FWC says herpes B can be fatal to people if not treated immediately. (source)
• Keep a safe distance from macaques at all times. (source)
• Visitors and boaters on the Silver and Ocklawaha rivers should avoid contact and watch only from a safe distance. (source)
• Steer clear, don't provoke them, and never feed them. (source)
• For health information, CDC lists 1-800-CDC-INFO. (source)

Silver Springs State Park: visit basics

• Silver Springs (just east of Ocala)

Where: Main Entrance: 5656 E. Silver Springs Blvd. (State Road 40), Silver Springs, FL 34488; Camping Entrance: 1425 NE 58th Avenue (County Road 35), Ocala, FL 34470

Hours: Open 7 days a week, year-round, including all holidays, 8 a.m. to sundown

Prices (as listed): Park admission $2.00 per person at the Main Entrance (children free; see conflict); $8.00 per vehicle (2 to 8 people) or $5.00 single-occupant vehicle at the Camping and Equestrian Entrances. Glass-bottom boat, 30-minute tour: adults $17, seniors 55+ $15, children 3-12 $15, 2 and under free. Extended tour: adults $35, seniors 55+ $30, children 3-12 $30, 2 and under free. Own kayak/canoe/paddleboard launch: $4 per vessel plus $2 per person park admission.

Contact: 352-261-5840 (park concession)

Official website

• Silver Springs State Park is open every day of the year, including all holidays, from 8 a.m. to sundown. (source)
• Park admission at the Main Entrance on State Road 40 is $2.00 per person. (source)
• At the Camping and Equestrian Entrances, entry is $8.00 per vehicle with 2 to 8 people, or $5.00 for a single-occupant vehicle. (source)
• The Main Entrance, for the head springs, glass-bottom boats and boat rentals, is at 5656 East Silver Springs Boulevard (State Road 40). (source)
• The Camping Entrance, for the campground, museum and most hiking trails, is at 1425 NE 58th Avenue in Ocala. (source)
• Park rules say all plants and animals are protected, and disturbing them is not allowed. (source)
• Drones are not allowed in the park. (source)
• Swimming is not permitted at Silver Springs; boats, kayaks and canoes are the way to see the water. (source)
• The park concession's phone number is 352-261-5840. (source)

Sources differ: Free-admission age for children differs between two pages of the same concession site: the FAQ says 'Children 5 and under are free', while the Park Hours & Guidelines page says 'Children 6 and under are free'. Neither page is dated. Park size also differs: 'almost 5,000 acres' vs. 'The 4,000-acre Silver Springs State Park'; UF/IFAS UW412 says 4,685 acres.

Silver Springs glass-bottom boat tours

• Silver Springs (just east of Ocala)

• Glass-bottom boats have carried visitors at Silver Springs since the 1870s, and the park says the glass-bottom boat was invented there. (source)
• The 30-minute glass-bottom boat tours leave every 15 to 20 minutes, 365 days a year. (source)
• Reservations are recommended because tours often sell out; a few walk-in seats are offered first come, first served. (source)
• A 30-minute tour costs $17 for adults and $15 for seniors 55 and over and children 3 to 12; children 2 and under ride free. (source)
• The extended river boat tour costs $35 for adults and $30 for seniors 55 and over and children 3 to 12. (source)
• Extended tours are 90 minutes long and depart at 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. (source)
• Boat riders also pay the $2 per person state park admission at the ticket booth. (source)
• One boat in the fleet of nine is wheelchair accessible. (source)
• Pets are not allowed on the boats, but service dogs are. (source)

Sources differ: Extended tour days differ on the same site: the Glass Bottom Boats page and FAQ say extended tours run 'Daily' at 9:30, 11:30 and 1:30, while the Park Hours & Guidelines page says 'Extended Tours: Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays'. The homepage summary shows a glass-bottom boat range of '$15 - $35'.

Paddling the Silver River

• The Silver River runs five miles from the head spring to the Ocklawaha River, entirely inside the state park. (source)
• Rental canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards can be paddled five miles downstream to Ray Wayside Park, with a ride back upstream. (source)
• The full paddle to Ray Wayside takes about 3 to 4 hours. (source)
• Canoe rentals are listed at $45 to $85, and canoes seat up to 3 people. (source)
• Kayak rentals are listed at $30 to $60, for singles and tandems. (source)
• Bringing your own kayak, canoe or paddleboard costs a $4 launch fee per vessel plus $2 per person park admission. (source)
• No motorized boats may use the canoe and kayak launch. (source)
• The launch ramp is open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the last departure downriver to Ray Wayside is 2 p.m. (source)
• Guided two-hour paddle tours with an Adventure Guide are offered on select dates. (source)

Monkey Jungle (Miami)

• Miami

Where: 14805 SW 216th St., Miami, FL 33170

Hours: Show times 10:00, 12:15 and 2:30; box office normally closes at 3:00 p.m.

Contact: (305) 235-1611

Official website

• Monkey Jungle calls itself a wildlife eco-show park and discovery center, established in 1935 in a natural subtropical forest in southern Miami-Dade County. (source)
• Its motto is that the humans are caged and the monkeys run wild. (source)
• The park covers 30 acres of natural jungle. (source)
• Visitors should arrive before the show times of 10:00, 12:15 and 2:30. (source)
• The box office normally closes at 3:00 p.m. (source)
• Tour reservations are requested, and walk-ins are welcome if space is available. (source)
• For information and advance reservations, call (305) 235-1611. (source)
• UF/IFAS researchers report about 110 long-tailed macaques lived at the facility in 2021, all descended from the original six. (source)

Sources differ: Founding year: Monkey Jungle's homepage says 'established in 1935'; UF/IFAS UW491 2021 data) says six long-tailed macaques were introduced near Miami 'In 1933' and later moved into the enclosure that became Monkey Jungle. Both can be true (animals 1933, attraction 1935); the UF publication is the newer document.

Zoo Miami primates

• Miami

Where: 12400 SW 152 St., Miami, FL 33177

Hours: Open every day of the year, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last ticket sold at 4 p.m.)

Prices (as listed): Adult (13+) $30, Child (3-12) $26, children 2 and under free (prices include 7% sales tax); parking free

Contact: (305) 251-0400

Official website

• Zoo Miami is open every day of the year from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last ticket sold at 4 p.m. (source)
• Day admission is $30 for adults 13 and older and $26 for children 3 to 12; children 2 and under are free. (source)
• The zoo says it is home to over 2,000 animals representing 375 species. (source)
• Zoo Miami's animal pages include black-handed spider monkeys, which spend most of their time up in the forest canopy. (source)
• Its western lowland gorillas live in troops of 3 to 21 animals in the wild. (source)
• Other primates listed include Bornean orangutans, white-cheeked gibbons, siamangs and chimpanzees. (source)
• If you are coming to see a specific animal, the zoo asks you to call 305-251-0400 first to check it is on exhibit. (source)

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens primates

• Jacksonville

Where: 370 Zoo Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32218

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day; day-of ticket sales close at 4 p.m.

Prices (as listed): General Admission (varies by date): Adults (13 to 64) $29.94 - $34.95; Seniors (65+) $27.95 - $32.95; Children (3 to 12) $24.95 - $29.95; Children (2 and under) Free. A $10 fee is added to tickets purchased at the gate.

Contact: (904) 757-4463

Official website

• Primate Forest is one of the zoo's featured exhibits. (source)
• The zoo's African Forest primates include bonobos, two kinds of colobus monkeys, western lowland gorillas, several lemur species and mandrills. (source)
• In the South America area, visitors can spot howler monkeys alongside giant anteaters and capybaras. (source)
• Siamangs live in the area in front of the lions' habitat. (source)
• The zoo is open daily except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, and day-of ticket sales close at 4 p.m. (source)
• General admission for adults 13 to 64 ranges from $29.94 to $34.95 depending on the date. (source)
• A $10 fee is added to tickets bought at the gate, so buying online saves money. (source)
• The zoo's phone number is (904) 757-4463. (source)

ZooTampa at Lowry Park primates

• Tampa

Where: 1101 W. Sligh Avenue, Tampa, FL 33604

Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Prices (as listed): One day ticket: Adults $53.95, Child (3-11) $43.95; advance one-day: Adults $50.95, Child (3-11) $40.95 (see conflict)

Contact: (813) 935-8552

Official website

• ZooTampa's animal list has its own Primates category. (source)
• Primates at ZooTampa include Angolan colobus monkeys and Bornean orangutans. (source)
• Bornean orangutans are on ZooTampa's animal list. (source)
• The list also includes golden lion tamarins and hamadryas baboons. (source)
• Red-tailed guenons, ring-tailed lemurs and siamangs also live at the zoo. (source)
• A baby siamang was among the babies born at the zoo this year. (source)
• A same-day one-day ticket is listed at $53.95 for adults and $43.95 for children 3 to 11. (source)
• The zoo is at 1101 W. Sligh Avenue in Tampa; phone (813) 935-8552. (source)

Sources differ: The same ZooTampa admissions page shows two price sets for a same-day general admission: 'Adults $53.95 Child (3-11) $43.95' and 'AGES 12 + $51.95 AGES 3 – 11 $41.95'. Neither block is dated; the page also notes paid parking for non-members beginning January 5, 2026.

Brevard Zoo primates

• Melbourne

Where: 8225 North Wickham Road, Melbourne, FL 32940

Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; last admission 4:15 p.m.

Prices (as listed): Online / on-site: Adults 12 & over $34.95 / $36.95; Seniors 65 & over $28.95 / $30.95; Children ages 3-11 $22.95 / $24.95; children under 3 free

Contact: (321) 254-9453

Official website

• Brevard Zoo is open 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with last admission at 4:15 p.m. (source)
• Adult tickets (12 and over) are $34.95 online or $36.95 at the gate. (source)
• Children ages 3 to 11 are $22.95 online or $24.95 on-site, and children under 3 are free. (source)
• The zoo's animal list includes black howler monkeys and black-handed spider monkeys. (source)
• It also lists Bolivian gray titi monkeys, common squirrel monkeys and cotton-top tamarins. (source)
• White-faced sakis and white-throated capuchins are on the list too. (source)
• Visitors can book encounters to get close to animals including lemurs. (source)

Palm Beach Zoo primates

• West Palm Beach

Where: 1301 Summit Boulevard, West Palm Beach, FL 33405-3035

Hours: Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; last entry 4:15 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day

Prices (as listed): Daytime tickets: Adults (13+) starting at $29.95; Seniors (60+) starting at $27.95; Children (3-12) starting at $23.95; Toddlers (0-2) free

Contact: (561) 547-9453

Official website

• The zoo has 23 acres of shaded paths, with animals ranging from playful primates to big cats. (source)
• It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last entry at 4:15 p.m. (source)
• Adult daytime tickets start at $29.95, seniors at $27.95 and children 3 to 12 at $23.95. (source)
• Golden lion tamarins, listed as endangered in the wild, live at the zoo. (source)
• Red ruffed lemurs from Madagascar are listed as critically endangered. (source)
• The zoo's spider monkeys are listed as critically endangered in the wild. (source)
• Howler monkeys and squirrel monkeys are also on the zoo's animal list. (source)
• The zoo's phone number is (561) 547-9453. (source)

Naples Zoo and the Primate Expedition Cruise

• Naples

Where: 1590 Goodlette-Frank Rd, Naples, FL 34102

Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; last entry 3:30 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day

Contact: 239-262-5409 (Zooline); questions 239-315-7626

Official website

• On the Primate Expedition Cruise, a guide takes visitors by catamaran on a 15 to 20 minute ride past islands of primates. (source)
• The cruise shows all three major types of primates: monkeys, lemurs and apes. (source)
• The cruise is included in admission, and you can ride more than once. (source)
• Life jackets are available for every passenger. (source)
• The zoo's black-handed spider monkeys use their grasping tail as a fifth limb. (source)
• Spider monkeys can bark, howl, scream and even make a whinny like a horse. (source)
• Four Bornean orangutans from ZooTampa made their debut at Naples Zoo on August 25, 2023. (source)
• Hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with last entry at 3:30 p.m. (source)
• The zoo is closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. (source)

Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens primates

• Sanford

Where: 3755 W. Seminole Blvd., Sanford, FL 32771

Hours: Open daily 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; last admission 3:30 p.m.

Prices (as listed): Nonpeak: Adults (13-54) online $21.95 / onsite $26.95; Children (3-12) online $16.95 / onsite $18.95; Seniors (55+) online $17.95 / onsite $22.95; 2 and younger free. Peak: Adults online $23.95 / onsite $28.95. $3 transaction fee per online order. Parking free.

Official website

• The zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with last admission at 3:30 p.m. (source)
• Nonpeak adult tickets are $21.95 online or $26.95 at the zoo. (source)
• Nonpeak children's tickets (ages 3 to 12) are $16.95 online or $18.95 onsite. (source)
• Peak-day adult tickets are $23.95 online or $28.95 onsite; peak days include all weekends. (source)
• Parking is free. (source)
• Primates on the zoo's animal list include cotton-top tamarins and Guianan squirrel monkeys. (source)
• Mexican spider monkeys and mongoose lemurs live at the zoo. (source)
• Red-ruffed and ring-tailed lemurs are on the list too. (source)
• The zoo is at 3755 W. Seminole Blvd. in Sanford. (source)

Sources differ: Peak children's onsite price differs between pages: Visit page shows 'Children (Ages 3-12) Online: $17.95 Onsite: $22.95' while Tickets page shows 'Online: $17.95 Onsite: $19.95'. Neither is dated.

Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo (Gainesville)

• Gainesville

Where: 3000 NW 83rd Street, Gainesville, FL 32606 (Northwest Campus)

Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., seven days a week; last entry 2:30 p.m.

Prices (as listed): Adults (13 to 59) $10; Children (4 to 12) $6; Seniors (60+) $6; Children (3 and under) free

Contact: 352-395-5000 (college main line)

Official website

• It is the only zoo on a college campus accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. (source)
• About 100 students in the college's Zoo Animal Technology program help run the 10-acre zoo. (source)
• Visitors enjoy the white-throated capuchin monkeys and red-ruffed lemurs, among other animals. (source)
• The animal list also includes squirrel monkeys and white-handed gibbons. (source)
• Visiting hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with last entry at 2:30 p.m. (source)
• Admission is $10 for adults 13 to 59 and $6 for children 4 to 12 and seniors 60 and older. (source)
• The zoo is on the Northwest Campus at 3000 NW 83rd Street. (source)

Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary (Gainesville)

• Gainesville

Where: 13915 North State Road 121, Gainesville, FL 32653

Hours: Not open to casual visitors; guided tours by booking only

Prices (as listed): Magical Monkey Experience: $95 donation per guest (2-hour guided golf cart tour, up to six guests)

Contact: 386-462-7779

Official website

• Jungle Friends is not open to casual visitors, but offers a behind-the-scenes tour called the Magical Monkey Experience. (source)
• The tour is a 2-hour guided golf cart ride for a $95 donation per guest, limited to six guests. (source)
• Marmosets and tamarins live in an area called Munchkinland, squirrel monkeys in Emerald City, and capuchins and spider monkeys in Kansas. (source)
• The sanctuary cares for nearly 200 New World monkeys. (source)
• Some capuchins at the sanctuary have lived into their 50s. (source)
• Monkeys there love to paint, using fingers, tongues, sticks and leaves. (source)
• The sanctuary is at 13915 North State Road 121 in Gainesville; phone 386-462-7779. (source)

Florida's ban on feeding wild monkeys

• FWC voted at its December 2017 meeting to ban feeding wild monkeys, citing public safety. (source)
• The ban is part of FWC's General Prohibitions rule, 68A-4.001 of the Florida Administrative Code. (source)
• The change took effect February 11, 2018. (source)
• FWC announced it on February 14, 2018, saying the amendment took effect Feb. 11. (source)
• The proposed rule added free-roaming non-human primates to the list of animals people may not feed. (source)
• Monkeys joined coyotes, foxes, raccoons, bears, pelicans and sandhill cranes under the rule. (source)
• Feeding includes placing or offering food or garbage in a way that attracts wild monkeys. (source)
• FWC's current guidance still lists wild monkeys among animals with feeding rules. (source)

Keeping macaques as pets

• FWC lists macaques as Class II wildlife, which it says pose a real or potential threat to people. (source)
• Macaques are on the Class II list. (source)
• Owning Class II wildlife requires a permit. (source)
• Applicants must document 1,000 hours of experience with the species or its family. (source)
• Class II animals must generally be kept on property of at least 2.5 acres. (source)
• FWC's Captive Wildlife Office can be reached at (850) 488-6253. (source)

Who manages the monkeys

• Silver Springs is state land managed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. (source)
• The state bought the park land in 1985; its managers must protect native plants and animals. (source)
• As of December 12, 2017, no population management plans were in place. (source)
• A 2016 UF report said there were no management strategies or population controls for the monkeys. (source)
• FWC says the feeding rule gives its officers tools to educate the public and discourage feeding. (source)

Sources differ: Park size: 4,685 acres (UF UW412) vs 4,000 acres (silversprings.com about page) vs almost 5,000 acres (silversprings.com wildlife page).

Reporting a monkey sighting

• FWC asks people to report nonnative animal sightings with a clear photo, the location and the date. (source)
• You can report with the free IveGot1 app or the web form at IveGot1.org. (source)
• FWC's Invasive Species Hotline is 888-Ive-Got1 (483-4681). (source)
• The hotline is staffed 5 days a week, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with voicemail after hours. (source)
• To report someone breaking wildlife rules, such as feeding, call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (888-404-3922) or #FWC from a cell phone. (source)

Which monkeys are Class I, II or III

• FWC sorts captive wildlife into Class I, II and III under rule 68A-6.002, last amended in 2019. (source)
• Class I primates include chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, gibbons, baboons, drills, mandrills and gelada baboons. (source)
• Class II includes macaques (the rhesus genus) and vervet, grivet or green monkeys. (source)
• Vervets are listed by name as Class II. (source)
• Class II also covers howler monkeys, guenons, mangabeys, patas monkeys, langurs, sakis and uakaris. (source)
• Class III is everything not listed in Class I or II, with no formal list. (source)
• Common Class III monkeys include marmosets, tamarins, capuchins and spider monkeys; lemurs are Class III too. (source)

Permits for a pet monkey

• Florida law makes it illegal to possess wildlife, native or not, without an FWC permit. (source)
• You must get the permit before you get the animal. (source)
• A Class II personal pet permit (PPL) costs $140 per year. (source)
• The Class II pet permit lasts 1 year. (source)
• Class II pet owners must be at least 18. (source)
• A Class III pet permit (PPNC) is free and lasts 2 years. (source)
• Class III pet owners must be at least 16. (source)
• A pet permit covers home, travel and vet visits, but not taking the pet out in public. (source)
• To take a pet monkey in public, owners need an exhibition permit instead. (source)

Experience and housing rules for monkey owners

• Class II monkeys, and capuchin, spider and woolly monkeys, need documented experience before a permit is issued. (source)
• Owners must log 1000 hours of hands-on experience, spread over at least one calendar year. (source)
• Two reference letters from people who saw that experience are required. (source)
• For capuchin, spider and woolly monkeys, passing a written exam can replace 500 of the 1000 hours. (source)
• The exam requires a score of at least 80 percent. (source)
• The cage must pass an FWC inspection before the permit is issued. (source)

Property rules for Class II monkeys

• Class II animals generally must live on property of at least 2.5 acres. (source)
• Class II sites need a 35-foot buffer between cages and the property line. (source)
• Class II sites need a perimeter fence at least 8 feet high, or 6 feet with an inward overhang. (source)
• Young Class II primates are exempt from the acreage and fence rules until 12 months of age. (source)

Class I primates: apes and baboons

• Class I wildlife is seen as a real or potential threat to human safety and can never be kept as a personal pet. (source)
• Class I wildlife, such as chimpanzees and baboons, needs at least 5 acres. (source)
• Class I owners must post $10,000 in financial responsibility or carry $2 million liability insurance. (source)
• Class I mammal owners must hold a USDA license. (source)

Minimum cage sizes for pet monkeys

• Tamarins and marmosets: a cage at least 3 feet by 3 feet and 4 feet high for one or two animals. (source)
• Lemurs: at least 4 feet by 5 feet and 6 feet high. (source)
• Capuchins: at least 6 feet by 6 feet and 6 feet high. (source)
• Each extra animal adds 25 percent to the floor area. (source)
• Cages need climbing gear and a toy or device for stimulation, such as boxes, balls, mirrors or foraging items. (source)
• Full primate caging rules are in rule 68A-6.0121. (source)

Releasing a monkey is a crime

• It is illegal to release any animal not native to Florida unless FWC authorizes it (s. 379.231). (source)
• Breaking that law is a Level Three violation. (source)
• A first Level Three offense is a first-degree misdemeanor. (source)
• A first-degree misdemeanor can mean up to 1 year in jail. (source)
• The fine for a first-degree misdemeanor can be up to $1,000. (source)
• A repeat within 10 years brings a minimum $750 fine and permanent loss of all captive wildlife permits. (source)
• Feeding wild monkeys is also banned: rule 68A-4.001 prohibits feeding non-human primates. (source)

FWC Exotic Pet Amnesty Program

• FWC's Exotic Pet Amnesty Program helps owners rehome nonnative pets instead of releasing them. (source)
• It is free, and owners can rehome pets for any reason. (source)
• Requests are accepted year-round. (source)
• Most exotic pets, even ones kept illegally, are taken without penalty. (source)
• Nonnative mammals are accepted, along with reptiles, amphibians, birds and fish. (source)
• The program does not euthanize pets. (source)
• Owners can surrender pets by calling the Exotic Species Hotline at 888-Ive-Got1 (483-4681). (source)
• Becoming an adopter is free, with no application or adoption fee. (source)
• Adopters must hold any permit the species requires before adopting. (source)

Reporting a loose monkey or other nonnative

• Call FWC's Invasive Species Hotline at 888-Ive-Got1 (483-4681) to report nonnative animals. (source)
• The hotline has a live operator 5 days a week, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with voicemail after hours. (source)
• A good report has 3 parts: a clear photo, the location and the date. (source)
• You can also use the free IveGot1 app for iPhone and Android. (source)
• To report someone feeding wildlife illegally, call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-3922. (source)

Able and Baker: monkeys launched from Cape Canaveral

• On May 28, 1959, an Army Jupiter missile carried Able, an American-born rhesus monkey, and Baker, a South American squirrel monkey. (source)
• They rode in the nose cone to a 300-mile altitude and were both recovered unharmed. (source)
• They lifted off at 3:35 a.m. from Launch Pad 26B at Cape Canaveral. (source)
• NASA says they were the first living creatures to survive spaceflight. (source)
• They were weightless for nine minutes of a 16-minute flight, and reached a top speed of 10,000 mph. (source)
• Able was trained to tap a telegraph key whenever a red light flashed. (source)
• Able died on June 1, 1959, during surgery to remove an electrode from under her skin. (source)
• The pair became instant celebrities and even made the cover of Time magazine. (source)
• Baker lived until 1984, when she died of kidney failure at age 27. (source)

Sources differ: Distance: NASA's Project Mercury chronology says they 'landed 1,700 miles down range from the launch site at Cape Canaveral', while NASA's This New Ocean (SP-4201, gives 'a 1500-mile trajectory' and 'At the end of 15 minutes'. Flight length: 15 minutes (SP-4201) vs. 16 minutes (Spaceport News, May 29, 2009). The 2009 Spaceport News is the newest of these.

Gordo, Goliath and other Cape Canaveral primate flights

• Gordo, a squirrel monkey, rode a Jupiter rocket 600 miles high on December 13, 1958. (source)
• Gordo's capsule was never found in the Atlantic Ocean after a flotation device failed. (source)
• Even so, his heartbeat and breathing signals showed doctors that humans could survive a similar trip. (source)
• Gordo was weightless for 8.3 minutes during his flight. (source)
• Gordo reached 10,000 miles per hour on reentry. (source)
• Goliath, a one-and-a-half-pound squirrel monkey, was launched from Cape Canaveral on an Atlas E rocket on November 10, 1961. (source)
• Goliath was lost when the rocket was destroyed 35 seconds after launch. (source)
• NASA notes that before people flew, scientists mainly used monkeys, chimps and dogs to test whether living things could survive spaceflight. (source)