Tampa Bay Monkey Escapes Trappers Again...Fans Cheer the Monkey On

You never know just what kind of critter you might see in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. For almost a year now, a Rhesus Macaque monkey has been on the loose. No one knows where it came from, and no one knows where it is going.

Folks think it may be from Silver Springs, Ocala, the only known natural breeding area for Rhesus Macaque monkeys in Florida. The monkeys usually stay there. This traveling monkey could have been run off by dominant monkeys, and it may be looking for a new troop to join. A troop is what a pack of monkeys is called.

Someone may have had the monkey for a pet and it escaped or was let loose. There could even be more than one Rhesus Macaque monkey running around, since they all look alike.

Whatever the reason, a monkey has been out there for nearly a year now, and it is doing just fine. It can travel through trees and roof tops very quickly, and seems to have traveled hundreds of miles. It has been spotted and photographed in Hudson, Temple Terrace, Town 'N Country, Citrus Park, Oldsmar, Clearwater, Gulfport and now St. Petersburg, all considered parts of Tampa Bay.

It dines on lizards, snakes, plants and bird eggs. Garbage, pet food and bird seed supplement its diet. It was spotted recently sitting and eating sunflower seeds in a St. Pete birdfeeder.

Another St. Pete resident also spotted the monkey staring at her through her living room window. She was able to snap a photo. The monkey hung around her property for about two weeks and then left. She liked having it around and said it was well behaved. She firmly believes it was the Tampa Bay traveling monkey.

The monkey is shy and not considered dangerous. It is rusty brown in color and about the size of a small dog (25 pounds and 25 inches tall.) The monkey has become a local celebrity. But residents are advised not to get too close. It is a wild animal and could attack if it feels threatened.

Trappers are trying to capture the monkey and put it in a zoo or in some other animal sanctuary, somewhere where it would be safe. But their efforts have not been going well.

Last week in St. Pete, trappers almost caught the monkey ... Chased by its own paparazzi, (spectators, school children, clergy, trappers, police officers and news' helicopters) the monkey fled throughout the neighborhoods.

The monkey was finally spotted up in a tree next to the Lakewood United Church of Christ. A St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue ladder truck arrived quickly, and got into position. Trappers climbed the ladder, loaded their dart guns and fired off two shots of tranquilizers. The monkey paused, looked at its tormentors, and then took off. It climbed past the spectators, and swung through the trees as fast as it could. Then it got dark and the monkey was gone.

Zoo officials figure the commotion of the monkey's entourage triggered its adrenalin flight response and lessened the effect of the tranquilizers.

As in the well loved children's book by Hans Augusto Rey, Curious George the Monkey, this might be the time to call in the Man in the Big Yellow Hat. He would know what to do.

The elusive monkey can be seen on line at video.tampabay.com., where fans cheer "Go, Monkey, Go." The monkey is also on Facebook.

If you happen to see the monkey, call The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission at 888-404-3922. It was last seen in the area of US 19 and State Road 60... Do not try to catch the monkey yourself.

Sources:

St. Pete Times

TBO.com

www.abcactionnews.com

Wikipedia