Florida's Wild Monkeys: From Tarzan to Today

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Florida is home to a variety of wild monkey populations, some with ties to old Hollywood films and others with more mysterious origins. The rhesus macaques found near Silver Springs are descendants of monkeys used in Tarzan movies in the 1930s, while the monkeys at Fort De Soto have a more uncertain history, though they've become a popular tourist attraction in their own right. Other monkey species, like vervet monkeys and squirrel monkeys, have also established wild populations in the state after escaping from zoos or other facilities over the years, creating a 'patchwork jungle' across Florida.

Why it matters

These wild monkey populations in Florida highlight the unexpected ways that Hollywood and nature can collide, as well as the ability of certain species to thrive and establish themselves in new environments, even after being introduced by human activity. The monkeys have become both a quirky tourist draw and a source of ongoing wildlife management challenges for the state.

The details

In the 1930s, a film crew brought in rhesus macaques from Southeast Asia to turn the Silver Springs area into a 'fake African jungle' for Tarzan movies. The monkeys escaped from an island where they were being kept and established a wild population that still exists today. Meanwhile, the monkeys at Fort De Soto have a more mysterious origin, though they're often mistakenly associated with the original Tarzan monkeys. Other monkey species like vervet monkeys and squirrel monkeys have also formed wild populations in Florida after escaping from zoos or other facilities over the years.

• In the 1930s, a film crew brought rhesus macaques from Southeast Asia to Silver Springs to use in Tarzan movies.
• The monkeys escaped from an island where they were being kept and established a wild population that still exists today.
• Monkeys have been spotted around Fort De Soto, though their origins are less clear.