The escaped monkey was sighted in Florida, with a fearful woman videoing the cheeky beast strutting around a field and heckling her before darting back into the bushes
A member of an escaped monkey tribe has been spotted heckling women in Florida’s Wekiva Springs State Park. The cheeky macaque was spotted rising up onto its hind legs to face up to a tourist who videoed the interaction. Experts have said the beast was likely a descendant of the infamous monkey tribe which escaped a tour boat operator in the 1930s and have thrived ever since.
“At first I thought it was like a large cat,” said Catherine Castillo to local outlet News 6. “And then it processed and I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, that’s a monkey.’”
The sighting happened just behind Catherine’s Longwood home in Florida – very quickly the monkey appeared to taunt the woman before disappearing back into the bushes.
“The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said no, it’s okay, just don’t approach it, don’t feed it,” Castillo said. “They said they would do unofficial documentation of the sighting.”
Catherine said the monkey hasn’t returned since Monday – but after this week, she says she’ll definitely be keeping an eye on the trees.
In 1938 six rhesus macaque monkeys escaped from tour boat operator Colonel Tooey on a small island, later converted to Silver Springs Park. This particular species were excellent swimmers and immediately jumped into the ocean, arriving back at the mainland and then spreading from there.
They are now classed as an invasive species – but the macaques are also known for their “consensus decision-making”, a form of “animal democracy”.
The animals often “vote with their feet” when deciding on travel paths or what to eat next. Instead of a traditional ballot, monkeys propose travel directions by moving a short distance and glancing back at the group.
If other members of the troop follow, the group eventually moves in that direction. If no one follows, the initiator gives up.
According to the FCW, if you come across one you should:
- Never approach or offer food to wild monkeys
- If a monkey is encountered, keep children close and pets leashed
- Dispose of uneaten food and garbage in closed trash containers
- If bitten or scratched by a wild monkey, immediately wash the wound and seek medical attention
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