JULY 16, 2023 - A rhesus macaque with its infant in Silver Springs, Florida, where a wild population has lived for decades.
Photo: Presence News
Visitors paddling through the clear waters of Silver Springs State Park often expect to see turtles, birds, or even alligators. What many don’t expect is monkeys watching from the trees—or swimming across the river.
Video: CBS Evening News via YouTube
The story of Florida wild monkeys at Silver Springs is one of the state’s most unusual wildlife encounters. Yet in Central Florida, that surreal encounter has become reality.
Rhesus macaques have existed throughout Silver Springs for many years, with population estimates typically in the hundreds, though exact numbers vary. Brought in the 1930s as a tourist attraction, they are now a self-sustaining and controversial population. They are both a curiosity and a potential public safety and environmental concern.
From Tourist Attraction to Wild Population
The story of Florida’s monkeys begins nearly a century ago, when a tour boat operator released a small group of rhesus macaques onto an island in Silver Springs to enhance a jungle-themed attraction. The plan worked—perhaps too well.
Over time, the monkeys multiplied and spread beyond the original site, adapting to the Florida environment.
Their population has fluctuated, but researchers and wildlife officials agree that the animals are firmly established in the wild.
According to reporting by National Geographic, the monkeys have grown into a sizable, self-sustaining population. At the same time, their presence has introduced new ecological and public health challenges.
The Impact of Florida Wild Monkeys at Silver Springs
Rhesus macaques are originally from Asia and are therefore not a native species of Florida. They are classified as an alien species in North America and can have adverse effects on native ecosystems and may be a danger to other native wildlife species.
Research from the University of Florida’s IFAS Extension notes that the monkeys can impact bird populations and other species. More significantly, they are known carriers of a virus that has drawn increasing attention from scientists and public health officials.
“Rhesus macaques…are known to carry the herpes B virus,” according to the UF/IFAS report.
While the virus is typically harmless in monkeys, its implications for humans are far more serious.
Understanding the Herpes B Virus
The Herpes B virus, also known as monkey B virus, is rare in humans but potentially severe. It is primarily transmitted through bites, scratches, or contact with bodily fluids from infected macaques.
That dual reality—low likelihood but high consequence—has shaped how officials approach the issue.
Scientific research published in a CDC journal has also confirmed the presence of the virus in Florida’s macaque populations, with studies examining how it spreads among wild monkeys in the Silver Springs area.
Even though the findings of the study illustrate several trends, experts are careful to convey that while the possibility for wild monkeys to infect humans in Florida could exist, it has yet to occur there. Close encounters, however, do create more risk of cross-species transmission.
Growing Concern and Public Warnings
Concerns regarding monkey behavior have resulted in greater caution in the monitoring of this population by agencies in the local area.
A 2025 report by the Ocala Gazette highlighted how concerns over the virus led to changes in public programming. “There are no reports of a person contracting it from a wild monkey,” the article noted, even as precautions were taken.
Officials consistently stress that the biggest risk comes not from the monkeys themselves, but from human behavior—especially feeding or approaching them.
Rhesus macaques interacting in trees at Silver Springs, Florida, where a wild population has become established. Photo: Mwcolgan8 / Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain) Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rhesus2.jpg
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that people should keep away from monkeys to prevent the possibility of transmitting disease through bites, scratches, or bodily fluids.
Why Distance Matters
Experts on wildlife recommend that people maintain a distance of at least 100 feet from monkeys and never feed them. Feeding monkeys can encourage aggressive behavior by creating the potential for people to come in close proximity to monkeys and be injured or exposed through bites, scratches, or contact with bodily fluids.
Though they may appear calm or even curious, rhesus macaques are wild animals. Primates are capable of exhibiting territorial and aggressive behavior towards humans. When they believe food is readily accessible from a human source, they become very protective of that food source.
Due to their high intelligence level, adaptability, and closeness to humans’ daily lives, primates can display unpredictable behavior, especially when interacting with humans.
A Delicate Balance
Florida hosts one of the few established wild primate populations in North America. These monkeys, however, raise many issues related to invasive species management. The challenge lies in finding ways to protect animals that are not only culturally significant but also potentially dangerous.
The monkeys in question are often a sight to behold when you visit Florida. Many tourists and residents alike come to see these animals firsthand. However, there are many serious environmental and public health risks associated with having a large number of these monkeys living in one area.
Debates surrounding the ethics, effectiveness, and perceptions of the monkey population have resulted from efforts to control or eliminate their population. Some of the people in the community feel that they are a unique attraction. Other people who either live in or visit the area think the monkey population has grown too large for their community and must be dealt with as such.
At present, the officials of the community are focusing on education and risk reduction programs rather than eradicating the monkey population.
Coexisting with an Unusual Neighbor
Although wild monkeys in Florida appear to be an unusual occurrence, they represent a long-term result of choices made by humans long ago. What started out as an entertainment attraction has become a complex wildlife management issue involving both public safety and conservation.
Those who are visiting the Silver Springs area and other adjacent locations should simply observe the monkeys from afar and give them plenty of room.
Florida’s monkeys may be fascinating, but they are not harmless or meant for human interaction.
Editor’s Disclaimer:This article discusses wild rhesus macaque and vervet monkey populations in Florida, including their potential to carry the Herpes B virus. While the virus can pose serious health risks, transmission to humans is extremely rare, and there have been no confirmed cases linked to wild monkey populations in Florida. Information in this article is based on reporting from public health authorities, scientific research, and reputable news sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the University of Florida IFAS Extension. Readers are encouraged to follow official wildlife guidance, including maintaining a safe distance from wild animals and avoiding direct interaction.
