The Silver Springs Monkeys and Monkey Day

Many Floridians have heard the story about how the area around what is now Silver Springs State Park here in Florida is practically overrun with Monkeys. They were brought in to be bit players in a 1930’s Tarzan Movie — so the story goes — and they’ve been monkeying around the Springs and parts of the Ocala National Forest ever since.

And because today is actually International Monkey Day, Bulldog decided to revisit the story and brush up on this fascinating thing we here in the Sunshine State have been hearing about for almost a hundred years.

One of the things I learned is that the Rhesus Macaques that can still be found in the area are not the only primates who’ve been ranging freely over this part of the heart of Florida. It is a fascinating and somewhat strange tale, as you’ll know if you take a moment to visit the link above.

If you’d like to know a little more about the celebration of International Monkey Day, here’s a good place to start.

Because of the hunger pangs which are now wracking my somewhat corpulent body at this moment, I’ve got to stop monkeying around on the internet, get into the kitchen and make lunch!

Hope it’s a fine day for you and all the other primates who may pass their eyes over this humble post.

“Bulldog Ben” Basile

© 2021 Ben Lawrence Basile

Photo credit Duke Today, Fair Use in effect