JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The number of monkey sightings on the First Coast is surging.
Since First Coast News first reported that a species known as the rhesus macaque had been seen in in the Jacksonville area, the number of monkey sightings has jumped by 58 percent.
The most recent figures from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission show more sightings in the past three weeks than in previous five months.
But is the number of monkeys increasing – or just the number of reports?
University of Florida wildlife ecologist Dr Steven Johnson thinks it’s the latter.
“They travel in a group,” Johnson told First Coast News. “If this was a group of individuals, people would not be seeing a single animal.”
He added, “It looks like one monkey, probably a rogue male, rather than a group of them moving around in the greater Jacksonville region.”
Johnson attributes the spike in monkey reports to media coverage. “Since you guys broke the story, word has gotten out there for people to be on the lookout. That would be my guess as to the uptick in the numbers.”
Johnson notes that some coverage has verged toward the hysterical – including headlines warning of monkeys “drooling” herpes. He says that while the monkeys can carry the Herpes B virus, people should be cautious but calm.
“Rather than jumping to the conclusion that there’s a band of herpes-dripping monkeys running around Jacksonville, you don’t want the public to be afraid. You want them to be educated and knowledgeable and know how to report these sightings.”
You can report a monkey if poses a threat to human safety by calling FWC’s hotline 888-404-FWCC.
To report a sighting, you can call the Exotic Species Hotline 888-IveGot1 or going to IveGot1.org.
You can learn how to avoid contact with the monkeys – and what to do if contact occurs here.