The Florida population of rhesus macaque gained a foothold niche in the
Silver River State Park Local legend has it that the monkeys
descended from animals used to film several Tarzan movies nearly 50
years ago at Silver Springs. The first monkeys were brought here at that
time, but by a former Jungle Cruise operator who figured that the
animals would add an exotic and amusing touch to the lush natural
setting. In addition, various colonies of rhesus and other monkey
species are speculated to be the result of zoos and wildlife parks
destroyed in hurricanes, most notably
Hurricane Andrew.
The rhesus macaque has a brown body with lighter brown under parts. The
monkey's face and rump are red. The average height for females is 18.5
to 20.9 inches, and 19 to 25 inches for males. The average weight for
females is approximately 9 to 24 pounds, while males weigh between 12 to
24 lbs. The head is round, the eyes oval, and the ears small. The front
legs are longer than the hind legs.
A diurnal animal, the
Rhesus Macaque is both arboreal and terrestrial;
it is mostly herbivorous and feeds on leaves and pine needles, roots,
and the occasional insect or small animal. The monkey has specialized
pouch-like cheeks, allowing it to temporarily hoard its food. The
gathered morsels are eaten sometime later, in safe surroundings.
Learn all about Florida nature at
Floridiannature.com
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