Tampa Bay Fans Cheer Monkey on the Lam

Fans in Florida have more to cheer about than the Rays. Some think that the rhesus macaque monkey, who has been terrorizing the Tampa Bay area for over a year, is even cuter than Evan Longoria. The nameless mascot even has his own fan club on Facebook:

See Mystery Monkey of Tampa Bay

On Facebook, he torments the media with statements such as:

A busy day of monkey business would be under my belt if, well, I wore a belt... Thanks to News Channel 8 & Laura (Tampa Trib.), Chip, Gale, and Keith Cate... Now it's off to the monkey bars and some ... you guessed it... Banana Daiquiris... with the little umbrella even though I won't need it tonight... Also some love to 96.5 WKLH in Milwaukee and Marilynn Mee... Gotta go ... zoom-zoom...6.5 WKLH in Milwaukee and Marilynn Mee.. Gotta go.. zoom-zoom...6.5 WKLH in Milwaukee and Marilynn Mee.. Gotta go.. zoom-zoom...6.5 WKLH in Milwaukee and Marilynn Mee.. Gotta go.. zoom-zoom...

and...

I DO NOT EAT BABY EAGLES OR MANATEES, this was a joke pointed at the comment that was in the St Petersburg Times newspaper by Vernon Yates, the guy who wants to shoot me with darts. I repeat, I do not eat baby eagles... Now back to the regularly scheduled monkey business...

In case you are not familiar with this little creature on the lam, who has captured the hearts of at least 65,000 Facebook fans, he is considered a "hero" by most Florida residents and local news channels report on his whereabouts almost on a daily basis. He is as famous as Cheetah. He has appeared on The Colbert Report and FoxNews. He has also built up immunity to tranquilizers and has been shot by tranquilizer guns numerous times. Some folks are worried that he will become a junkie monkey because of his tranquilizer shots and have hidden their Xanex.

His daily routine is hiding in people's pool enclosures overnight. Of course, he goes on a recon mission first, to pick enclosures that are near food. Then, in the morning, when the coast is clear he takes a swim and steals citrus fruit from the property. He hangs out in trees all day happily eating his stash of grapefruit and oranges - bananas if he is lucky.

Many pool owners have taken pictures of the monkey stealing fruit and send the photos to the local newspapers and news stations. I'm sure someone has created a drinking game out of this.

To date, he has no name. Maybe one of his Facebook fans can take care of that and have a naming ceremony for the little guy.

Gary Morse, of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, has warned people to stay away from the monkey "That animal is so much quicker and more powerful than people perceive," Gary said. "That monkey would absolutely tear an adult male up. People have no idea how fierce their bites would be."

Meanwhile, fans are enjoying his escape techniques, including the "Strong arm" for pelting onlookers with citrus.

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