This Florida Park Is Infested With Herpes Infected Monkeys
Contracting herpes isn’t the first thought on your mind when enjoying a glass bottom boat tour. Over the past century, these herpes infected monkeys in Florida have been taking over one Florida park and people are noticing.
The Rhesus Macaques is a non-native monkey in Florida and they’ve been populating fast over the last 100 years. According to A-Z animals, there are about 400 of these diseased monkeys in Silver Springs park in Florida making their way to the streets of nearby towns.
How did the Rhesus Macaques monkey get to Florida?
Back before the internet and seeing ads on television, Florida wasn’t the tourist attraction it is today. It was the 1930s and people were just starting to make extra cash to take the family on a vacation getaway.
Colonel Tooey was an operator at the glass bottom boat tours in Silver Springs Park. Trying to entice visitors from across the country, Tooey thought it was a good idea to release a few Rhesus Macaques monkeys onto an island near the park. In theory, the monkeys would stay contained on the island and visitors could experience a jungle cruise in the sunshine state. Dr. Malcolm, where are at? Tooey needed a lesson on Chaos Theory.
Tooey wasn’t aware that these particular monkeys were great swimmers and shortly after their arrival, they swam to land in the Silver Springs park and began to multipy. Today, there are, at times, more than 400 monkeys in the park and nearby towns.
Why does the Rhesus Macaques have Herpes?
The macaque monkey carries the herpes B virus. These monkeys are known to be the original bearers of this specific herpes strain and a significant number of the monkeys in Florida carry this virus.
The CDC says that the viral infection to humans is “extremely rare”, but if you do contract the virus, it can lead to brain damage and death. You can only catch the virus through scratches, bites or bodily fluid swaps.
These monkeys are aggressive towards humans so the FWC passed a rule prohibiting the feeding of the monkeys in the state of Florida. If you are bitten by the monkey, clean the wound and seek medical attention immediately. If you see a monkey posing a threat to humans, call the FWC at 888-404-3922.
For more information on the Macaques Monkey and other monkeys in Florida, click here.
The 5 Most Dangerous Animals In Florida
Great White Shark
Yes, Great White Sharks are found in the waters around Florida. A almost 1,200 pound shark that was almost 13 feet in length was tracked back in March of this year.
Bull Shark
#1 and #2 on the list are sharks. They are in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. They grow to about 11 feet and can live about 24 years.
Alligator
Alligators live in all 67 counties in Florida. You can find alligators in any body of water including lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes, swamps and man-made canals. We’ve seen multiple reports this year of gator attacks, even some fatal ones.
Eastern Dimondback Rattlesnake
They are found in pine flatwoods, longleaf pine and turkey oak hammocks, sand pine scrub areas, and coastal barrier islands. Yes it is venomous.
Cottonmouth Snake
It is venomous and can be found throughout Florida. It is called a cottonmouth because of the white color of the inside of its mouth.
