Silver Springs State Park is now open! Only spent a couple hours, hiked the river trail and had to turn back because of mosquitos (stupid us brought nada in way of repellant). Silver Springs State Park is now open! What Tooey apparently did not realize is that rhesus macaques are strong swimmers. BEAUTIFUL trails. It turned out that the monkeys were well-suited to the lush forests of central Florida. They’ve been roaming wild since the 1930s. As a result, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission has said it plans to remove the monkeys, which are native to South and Central Asia, from the park. SILVER SPRINGS, FL — A traditional “Jungle Cruise” for Florida tourists wouldn’t be complete without monkeys. Given many of the monkeys have herpes, they present a danger if they interact with humans – which they do frequently. As Johnson points out, there is no easy solution. Please note we are not yet offering shuttle service from Ray Wayside Park. The monkeys have attracted tourists — and controversy — for years. Riley and Wade counted only 118. This can be done in a variety of ways,” Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman Carli Segelson told the Associated Press. Twenty-one of the 50 recorded cases were fatal. Please attempt to sign up again. Monkeys in Florida are not only nothing new; they're the stuff of legend. A rhesus macaque monkey observes kayakers as they navigate along the Silver River in Silver Springs, Florida. Write to Jamie Ducharme at jamie.ducharme@time.com. Abundant Florida wild life can all be seen here, including possible sightings of manatees, magnificent marsh birds, alligators and wild rhesus macaque Monkeys. Macaques were introduced to Florida’s Silver Springs State Park as a tourist attraction almost 100 years ago. For example, anecdotal reports stated that thousands of monkeys lived in the park. Silver Springs State Park. Trails At This Florida State Park Are Closed Because Wild Monkeys Have Taken Over. It all began with six rhesus macaque monkeys at what’s now Silver Springs State Park. An unexpected error has occurred with your sign up. The monkeys, … “If I was the manager I would want to try to have them removed,” he said. Silver Springs State Park: Hours, Address, Silver Springs State Park Reviews: 4/5. “Even though the monkeys have been there over 100 years they’re not native, they’re not supposed to be there. Silver Springs State Park 5656 Silver Springs Blvd, Silver Springs, Florida 34488 Open: 365 days a year from 8 am to sunset. Glass Bottom Boat tours require an additional fee and run every 30-45 minutes from 10 am to 6 pm daily. You’re gonna hurt a bunch of people if you decide to go in and remove them, and people aren’t gonna be happy with you if you allow them to stay. State temporarily closes Island Boardwalk and Sea Hunt Deck. We are taking precautions to help ensure your safe visit, but we need your help. Various colonies of rhesus and other monkey species, such as common squirrel monkeys and vervet monkeys, have been found in Florida. Glass bottom boats were invented here and still provide an ideal vantage point for enjoying the natural beauty of this first-magnitude spring. There were brought there by people. We are taking precautions to help ensure your safe visit, but we need your help. When the disease does occur, however, it can result in brain damage or death. Fortunately nothing has happened yet, but I wouldn’t want to have that looming over me if I was the state,” Johnson said. Outdoor Activities, Boat Tours & Water Sports, Tours, More. The cost of admission to Silver Springs is $2.00 with children under 5 free. 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