If you see a monkey on the loose in Florida, don’t approach it. Don’t touch it, don’t feed it, don’t try to befriend it.
There are a lot of “don’ts” if you see a wild monkey here, but there’s at least one major thing to do: Call the authorities and report the monkey sighting.
On Monday, Dec. 16, the Orange City Police Department in Volusia County, Florida, said it received “multiple reports of monkey sightings within the city. If you encounter a monkey, please contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) for assistance.”
Experts say do not touch or feed the animal. Don’t even place food or garbage or offer food or garbage in a manner that attracts wild monkeys − there are consequences if you do.
Since 2018, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says feeding wild monkeys is prohibited: “It is a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 and 60 days in jail,” the FWC site states.
Did you know? Monkeys in Florida are considered invasive, and these are the 5 species found here
What wild monkeys have been seen in Florida?
Do wild monkeys carry herpes?
Florida Fish and Wildlife says the nonnative species − rhesus macaques, vervet monkeys and squirrel monkeys − can carry severe infections, including herpes B that can be transmitted to humans via bites and scratches.
Tips if you see a wild monkey in Florida
The Orange City Police Department received multiple reports of monkey sightings within the city the week of Dec. 17, 2024. If you encounter a monkey, contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) for assistance. Most important? Don’t feed or approach the animals.
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Never offer food or feed a wild monkey.
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Make sure food or garbage isn’t left around to attract wild monkeys.
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Dispose of uneaten food and garbage in trash containers with a lid.
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Don’t approach a wild monkey. If you are bitten or scratched by a wild monkey, immediately wash the wound and seek medical attention.
Report a wild monkey sighting in Florida: Whom to call if you see monkeys on the loose
If you spot a wild monkey on the loose, in a tree, on the road or in a residential area, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission wildlife alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC or 888-404-3922.
You also can submit a tip online at myfwc.com/wildlifealert or call the northeast region office, 1239 S.W. 10th Street, Ocala, at 352-732-1225.
Where did the wild monkeys come from?
Though the Orange City Police Department mentioned several reports of monkey sightings in that area of Florida in December 2024, there has not been any wild monkeys captured as of Tuesday, Dec. 17, nor information on their whereabouts.
Other wild monkey sightings
A feral rhesus macaque strides a wrought-iron railing at the Cottonwood Clermont apartment complex on May 2, 2024.
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In November 2024, police said at least two dozen monkeys that escaped from a research facility in South Carolina have been recaptured. Authorities said 43 rhesus macaques escaped when a caretaker failed to lock the doors. In a USA TODAY report last month, veterinarians told police the recaptured monkeys were in good health.
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“Pretty much, we were just leaving the apartment we are staying at, and my girls saw the monkey walking on the fence,” Long said. “I was able to snap a quick picture then it went over the fence.”
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On May 2, 2024, Rachel Long from Washington told the Daily Commercial she saw a wild monkey while visiting in Clermont, Florida. Long told the newspaper she posted a photo in the Facebook group Everything Clermont of what appeared to be a rhesus macaque stepping along the top of a fence at the Cottonwood Clermont apartment complex. She was responding to another member’s post about the same monkey.
The Orange City Police Department received multiple reports of monkey sightings within the city the week of Dec. 17, 2024. If you encounter a monkey, contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) for assistance. Most important? Don’t feed or approach the animals.
Contributing: Julie Garisto, Daily Commercial
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Monkeys in Orange City: Safety tips, Florida Fish and Wildlife contact
