Warning about monkeys wandering in residential areas of Florida: Do not feed them or approach them!

The police issued a warning to residents of Orange City in Central Florida after monkeys were seen wandering through residential areas of the city in recent weeks.

After receiving "multiple reports of monkey sightings" within the city of Volusia County, the Police Department warned residents to stay away from the primates.

“Do not feed or approach these animals!” authorities ordered in an alert posted on social media at the beginning of the week.

Additionally, they urged residents that if they encounter a monkey, they should immediately contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) "for assistance."

A FWC regulation approved in 2017 prohibits feeding wild monkeys in Florida, as it "creates a heightened risk to human health by bringing them into closer contact with people." Experts indicate that primates are more likely to return to an area and may become aggressive if people feed them.

This regulation came into effect with the aim of "promoting greater public safety and reducing health issues associated with these animals."

"Monkey Invasion?"

The images released on Monday by the Orange City Police show a monkey strolling carefreely along the fence of a house, and in another photo, it is seen sitting comfortably on the railing, as if posing for its social media.

The authorities have not clarified whether it involves multiple primates or the same one that has been spotted in different locations. There have also been sightings of monkeys in the city of Deltona, within Volusia County itself.

"It’s one of those once-in-a-lifetime situations that you don’t expect to be a part of," said a resident of Orange City to WESH-TV, an NBC affiliate. Specialists from the FWC indicated that they believe the monkey "likely came from the north."

Another neighbor from the area recounted in amazement, "It probably weighed around 50 pounds, though I think it was more than that. It was definitely a large creature!"

The television station Fox 35 News interviewed Colin Innes, the captain of a tour boat, who spotted a monkey among the trees during a trip along the St. Johns River the previous week and recorded it with his phone. The video went viral on social media.

"I saw something moving. I looked at it and thought, 'No, that can't be what I think I'm seeing.' It completely caught me off guard; it's not something you see in Orange City every day," he recounted.

"I ended up following it for about half an hour, taking as many videos and photos as I could because that's not something you see very often around here," admitted Innes, who called the FWC to report the animal's presence.

Wildlife experts stated that it appeared to be a rhesus macaque, a species that easily adapts to various environments. These primates were introduced to the state of Florida, specifically in the area of Silver Springs State Park, in the 1930s as part of a tourist attraction.

Meanwhile, the principal of Timbercrest Elementary School in Deltona warned parents after seeing a monkey running through the children's entrance area at the school last Wednesday, CBS News reported.

Isaac Rempe from Affordable Wildlife Removal told Fox that if you see a wild monkey in Florida, "the best and most important thing to do" is to report it to the FWC and "leave it alone."

The expert warned, "You should not attempt to capture it on your own. There are several reasons for this. Monkeys are extremely intelligent. They have large teeth! It's not something you want to try to capture, as it can hurt you."

Last November, 43 monkeys escaped from a research center in South Carolina, prompting authorities to issue alerts for nearby residents to secure the doors and windows of their homes. Four of these monkeys are still at large.

Frequently Asked Questions About Monkeys in Residential Areas of Florida