Ronaldskk. Posted August 27, 2023 Posted August 27, 2023 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/wild-monkey-sightings-florida-prompts-warnings-officials-rcna101401 Officials in Florida are warning people to keep their distance from wild monkeys that have been spotted around the city. Residents of Orange City, about 30 miles north of Orlando, have reported multiple sightings of wild monkeys within the city, the Orange City Police Department said Wednesday on Facebook. The department said at least one of the monkeys — spotted Wednesday at a Popeyes — was later identified as a Rhesus macaque monkey, a species that is native to Asia and can become aggressive when fed, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. A Rhesus macaque monkey. The police department received two additional reports of wild monkey sightings Tuesday, said Lt. Sherif El-Shami, who said officials are unsure whether all sightings involved the same species or monkey. Animal control officers and police haven't been able to locate the animals, El-Shami said. Police warned people not to feed or try to capture the monkeys and asked them to report sightings to the commission's Wildlife Alert Hotline. Feeding wild monkeys in Florida is a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500, according to information from the commission that the police department shared on Facebook, which says feeding wild monkeys can increase the likelihood of attacks, injuries and the transmission of disease. Wild monkey sighting in Florida prompts warning from officials A Rhesus macaque monkey was spotted roaming the streets of Orange City, Fla., in a photo police shared Wednesday. Orange City Police Department Rhesus macaques are one of two species of wild monkeys — along with vervet monkeys — that are reproducing in Florida, according to the wildlife conservation commission.
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