Monkey sightings in Florida town prompt police to issue dire warning
ORANGE CITY, Fla. - Residents in one Florida town are on the lookout for monkeys roaming the streets.
The Orange City Police Department warned the public on Monday after they received multiple reports of primate sightings within the city limits. The exact number of loose monkeys remains unknown, but officers are urging residents to exercise caution if they encounter one.
The Orange City Police Department warned the public on Monday after they received multiple reports of primate sightings within the city limits. (Orange City Police Department)
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is leading the response to locate the monkeys, whose origin is unknown.
READ: Escaped monkeys update: They're ‘having an adventure’
Police have warned residents never to feed or approach the monkeys, which could promote aggressive behavior.
The exact number of loose monkeys remains unknown, but officers are urging residents to exercise caution if they encounter one. (Orange City Police Department)
Tour boat captain Colin Innes spotted a monkey, believed to be a rhesus macaque, swinging through the trees along the St. Johns River, FOX 35 in Orlando reports.
Innes, who runs St. Johns River Eco Tours, said the sighting took him by surprise.
"It caught me completely off guard, not something you see in Orange City every day," he told FOX 35.
Any reported monkey sightings should be sent to Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.
Read more at FOXWeather.com.
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