OCALA, Fla. — Things quickly turned ugly for Susie Ramsey and her family during a visit to Silver Springs State Park last week when they were attacked by a group of wild monkeys living in the park.
"(It) went from, 'Oh, look at the cute monkeys,' to, 'Oh my God, our lives are in danger,'" she told Channel 9 on Monday.
Ramsey and her family were at the park in Ocala when wild rhesus macaque monkeys grew angry.
Her son captured the encounter on his cellphone.
In the video, you can hear when the monkeys started to become agitated at the family.
"Four, I assume, big males kind of charged us and surrounded us, and were grunting and hissing," Ramsey said.
Ramsey’s son narrates the video and can be heard laughing while saying, “Guys, this is crazy.”
Monkey attacks can be dangerous due to the animals' strength and sharp teeth.
No one was injured in the encounter, officials said.
The Florida Park Service said it posts signs and fliers warning visitors to keep a safe distance from the monkeys and not feed them.
There are two areas of the park that have been closed due to the increasing number of wild monkeys: the Ross Island boardwalk and the Sea Hunt deck.
After her encounter with the monkeys, Ramsey said she would like to see more warning signs.
Cox Media Group
