Invasive monkeys spotted eating oranges in Florida neighborhood

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

Florida woman spotted monkeys eating oranges off a tree in her backyard Sunday afternoon in the St. Johns Golf and Country Club neighborhood.

Colleen Sokol, who took the video, said she's lived in the St. Johns area for 16 years and has seen bears, snakes, and coyotes, but never monkeys.

There has been a known population of invasive rhesus macaque in Silver Springs State Park that was seeded by a tour guide in the early 20th century, who dropped the monkeys on an island in the park to be a tourist attraction.

Now, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission says some of those monkeys could carry diseases that are potentially deadly to humans.

About the Author