Invasive monkeys spotted eating oranges in St. Johns County neighborhood

ST. JOHNS, Fla. — A St. Johns County woman spotted monkeys eating oranges off a tree in her backyard Sunday afternoon in the St. Johns Golf and Country Club neighborhood off County Road 210.

Colleen Sokol, who took the video, said she’s lived in the St. Johns for 16 years and has seen bears, snakes, and coyotes, but never monkeys.

There has been a known population of invasive rhesus macaque in Silver Springs State Park that was seeded by a tour guide in the early 20th century who dropped the monkeys on an island in the park to be a tourist attraction.

Now, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission says some of those monkeys could carry diseases that are potentially deadly to humans.

If you see an invasive rhesus monkey, you can report the sighting to FWC here.

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