'''Feral rhesus macaques''' are wild troupes of the [[rhesus macaque]] released by researchers, zoos, or private owners, that have been able to survive and propagate in several places in the [[United States]].

== Puerto Rico ==

=== Cayo Santiago ===

A research colony was established by the Caribbean Primate Research Center of the [[University of Puerto Rico]] on the island of [[Cayo Santiago]], off [[Puerto Rico]]. There are no predators on the island, and humans are not permitted to land, except as part of the research program.

== Florida ==

=== Silver Springs State Park ===

[[File:Silver River monkey.jpg|thumb|A rhesus macaque on Florida's [[Silver River (Florida)|Silver River.]]]]

A colony of rhesus macaques was established around [[Silver Springs (attraction)|Silver Springs]] in [[Florida]] around the spring of 1938. The monkeys were released by tour boat operator Colonel Tooey<ref>"Colonel" was his first name, according to [https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/magazine/tampa-monkey.html?pagewanted=all ''The New York Times'', August 28, 2012]</ref> to enhance his Jungle Cruise ride. A traditional story that the monkeys were released for scenery enhancement in the [[Tarzan]] movies that were filmed at that location is false, as the only Tarzan movie filmed in the area, 1939's ''[[Tarzan Finds a Son!]]'' contains no rhesus macaques, in part because of the species' bad temperament.<ref>{{cite journal | title = Primates Face to Face| author = Wolfe, Linda, Cambridge University Press| year = 2002 | isbn = 052179109X | page = 320}}</ref> The monkeys continue to thrive along the [[Silver River (Florida)|Silver River]] to this day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120105/ARTICLES/120109738/1109/sports?Title=Catching-selling-Silver-River-monkeys-is-lucrative|title=Catching, selling Silver River monkeys is lucrative|last=Hiers|first=Fred|date=January 5, 2012|work=[[The Gainesville Sun]]|accessdate=2012-09-12|location=Gainesville, FL}}</ref>

===Southern Florida===

Various colonies of rhesus and other monkey species, such as [[common squirrel monkey]]s and [[vervet monkey]]s, have been found in [[South Florida|southern Florida]]. They are thought to have gained freedom after zoo and wildlife park facilities were destroyed in hurricanes, most notably [[Hurricane Andrew]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/04/20/090420fa_fact_bilger |title=Swamp Things |work=[[The New Yorker]] |first=Burkhard |last=Bilger |date=20 April 2009}}</ref>

{{as of|2013|9|12|df=US}}, more than 1,000 rhesus macaques live in the state; officials have caught more than 700 of the monkeys in the past decade. Most of the captured monkeys tested positive for [[herpes B virus]]. Wildlife officials consider the animals a public health hazard.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nypost.com/2013/09/12/herpes-infected-monkeys-terrorize-florida/ |title=Herpes-infected monkeys terrorize Florida |work=[[New York Post]] |first=Natalie |last=O'Neill |date=12 September 2013}}</ref>

===Tampa Bay===

The "Mystery Monkey of Tampa Bay" is a rhesus macaque that was on the loose and evading capture for approximately four years in [[St. Petersburg, Florida]].<ref name="APMarch242010">{{cite news |url=https://www.syracuse.com/have-you-heard/index.ssf/2010/03/elusive_monkey_romps_in_tampa.html |title=Elusive monkey romps in Tampa Bay area |work=[[The Post-Standard]] |first=Maria |last=Welych |date=March 24, 2010}}</ref> The monkey is thought to be a male that weighs 30 pounds.<ref>[http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=126658&catid=8 Monkey, loose, eludes police St. Petersburg], WTSP-TV CBS, March 4, 2010</ref>

Authorities are not certain of the origin of this monkey; it may have migrated from the troupe of wild monkeys in [[Silver Springs State Park]],<ref name="monkeyssilveriver">{{cite web |url=http://www.wildlifesouth.com/Locations/Florida/SilverRiver.html |title=Silver River - Florida |accessdate=2010-03-25 |publisher=WildlifeSouth |last=Kegley|first=Joe|date=2007-05-15}}</ref> approximately 103 miles north of St. Petersburg.<ref name="distance">{{cite web |url=http://www.indo.com/cgi-bin/dist?place1=29%3A10%3A50.4821N+82%3A8%3A47.3997W&place2=St.+Petersburg%2C+FL |title=How Far is It? Distance Server: As the Crow Flies |accessdate=2010-03-25 |publisher=indo.com}}</ref> It may have escaped from an owner who did not have a wildlife permit and had not registered the monkey.<ref name = "APMarch242010"/>

A [[Facebook]] page for the monkey was set up, which attracted more than 82,600 fans (as of Feb. 4, 2012).<ref name = "APMarch242010"/> The monkey is shy and not considered a threat to humans.<ref>[http://www.tampabay.com/news/bizarre/article1077385.ece After a year on the lam, is wily monkey too smart to capture?], ''St. Petersburg Times,'' 5 March 2010</ref> Its continued success at avoiding capture was compared to the TV series [[The Fugitive (TV series)|''The Fugitive'']].<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36013254/ns/today-today_pets_and_animals/ "Fugitive monkey has pursuers going bananas"], MSNBC, March 24, 2010</ref> The monkey reportedly looks both ways to check for traffic before crossing the street.<ref name = "APMarch242010"/> The monkey has been mentioned in national media, and an episode of ''[[The Colbert Report]].'' On the afternoon of October 24, 2012, wildlife officials spotted the macaque in a tree in St. Petersburg's Lake Maggiore neighborhood, and used a tranquilizer dart to first immobilize and then capture it.<ref>[http://www.theledger.com/article/20121024/NEWS/121029669/1410?Title=St-Petersburg-s-Mystery-Monkey-Is-Captured "St. Petersburg's Mystery Monkey Is Captured"], ''The Ledger'', 24 October 2012</ref>

The Mystery Monkey was placed at Dade City's Wild Things, an animal sanctuary<ref>{{cite web|title= 911 Animal Abuse: Dade City Wild Things – Kathy Stearns|url=http://911animalabuse.com/dade-city-wild-things/}}</ref> in Pasco County.

== South Carolina ==

There is also a notable colony of rhesus macaques on [[Morgan Island, South Carolina|Morgan Island]], one of the [[Sea Islands]] in the [[South Carolina Lowcountry]]. They were imported in the 1970s for use in the local labs and now number approximately 3000.<ref>[http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/local/8961941.htm The State | Homepage<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040826195106/http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/local/8961941.htm |date=2004-08-26 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Taub DM, Mehlman PT |title=Development of the Morgan Island rhesus monkey colony |journal=P R Health Sci J |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages=159–69 |date=April 1989 |pmid=2780958 }}</ref>

==References==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Individual monkeys]]

[[Category:History of Silver Springs, Florida]]

[[Category:Feral animals]]

[[Category:Invasive animal species in the United States]]