MARION COUNTY, Fla.,None — It's a case of safety versus money in Marion County, and hundreds of wild monkeys are caught in the middle of the fight.
The monkeys have been around Silver River State Park in Silver Springs for decades and have become a tourist attraction.
However, state officials said they are concerned the monkeys are becoming a threat to people, and want them removed.
The monkeys are spreading out far from the Silver River area, said officials.
The problem is that too many people feed the monkeys, and they become comfortable around humans. Some of the monkeys are aggressive.
Snowbird Jim Maher said a highlight of the family's annual stay in Florida was the monkeys.
"People come here just for that. That's why we're here," said Maher.
The famous rhesus monkeys live along the shore, and you can watch them on YouTube. Native to Asia, the primates were first brought to Marion County in the 1930s to lure tourists to a special boat ride.
But fish and wildlife officers would prefer they go away.
"We don't have any sort of monkey patrol out there," said Joy Hill of Florida Fish and Wildlife.
But Hill said for years, the state has issued a permit to a trapper, who sells the monkeys for medical research.
"A lot of people say, 'Hey, what are they hurting? Leave them out there. People enjoy seeing them.' But they can be very dangerous,'" said Hill.
Hill said some carry a strain of herpes that can be fatal to humans.
"What happens is they get so tame that they'll jump right on your boat, and once you get bit or scratched, you do a trip to the hospital," said tourist boat operator Nick Bozman.
Officials said they have no record of any cases, but they're still concerned.
Bozman said the monkeys are good for business.
"Absolutely. Yes, it's a big attraction down here," said Bozman.
There's an urban legend that the monkeys escaped during the filming of a Tarzan movie in the 1930s, but officials said that is not true.
WFTV
