Just like with the pythons the monkeys are not native to the area, but were brought over about 70 years ago and eventually set free to do what it is that monkeys do. They were originally contained to a small island off Florida but as they said in "Jurassic Park", "Nature finds a way." Before too long the monkeys learned to swim and are now filling in the trees around cities like Jacksonville. They are quite the hit on nature cruises and if it were just a few dozen it wouldn't be so bad but there are thousands of them and state officials are starting to become concerned. As you would imagine the monkeys can be quite a menace and on top of that they are a rare species, so the state just can't declare open season on them like they did with the pythons (although if there are thousands of them I would question just how rare they truly are). As if the thought of wild monkeys were bad enough, many of the animals caught in the last few years have come with a special present - herpes. I'm not quite sure how monkeys get herpes but I am sure that I don't want to think about it too much. Seems like a personal issue. Now, the wildlife experts say the monkeys are the same as all animals in that if you give them their space they won't bother you so if you see one just leave it alone. Well, when you consider between the snakes and the monkeys my thought of visiting Florida are becoming as fleeting as my thoughts of visiting Africa that seems like it should be pretty easy to do.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Monkey Business
Every time I watch a nature show on the National Geographic Channel I am filled with this momentary urge to hop on a plane and go on an African Safari. I've always enjoyed checking out animals and I just assume seeing all these amazing creatures in their natural habit would be truly awe-inspiring. But then I remember how much a trip like that costs as well as the fact that Africa is home to pretty much every deadly type of spider and snake known to humanity and that feeling fades away almost as quickly as it arrived. Aiding in my decision to forgo a trip to Africa is the fact that there is an alternative just as close which would provide me with almost as many opportunities to see wild animals - Florida. Florida is like any state in that people buy animals when they are young and easy to care for but as soon as they get too big or become too much work lazy owners give up and released the creature into the wild. The only difference between Florida and most other parts of the country is the fact that weather down there allows the animals to thrive rather than freeze to death as they would in say, Rhode Island. Previously I talked about how the Florida Everglades are home to such a large population of pythons that the state eventually held a contest to see who could kill the biggest one just to try and get the numbers down a little. Well, it seems the next wave of unusual animals they will have to cope with are monkeys.
Just like with the pythons the monkeys are not native to the area, but were brought over about 70 years ago and eventually set free to do what it is that monkeys do. They were originally contained to a small island off Florida but as they said in "Jurassic Park", "Nature finds a way." Before too long the monkeys learned to swim and are now filling in the trees around cities like Jacksonville. They are quite the hit on nature cruises and if it were just a few dozen it wouldn't be so bad but there are thousands of them and state officials are starting to become concerned. As you would imagine the monkeys can be quite a menace and on top of that they are a rare species, so the state just can't declare open season on them like they did with the pythons (although if there are thousands of them I would question just how rare they truly are). As if the thought of wild monkeys were bad enough, many of the animals caught in the last few years have come with a special present - herpes. I'm not quite sure how monkeys get herpes but I am sure that I don't want to think about it too much. Seems like a personal issue. Now, the wildlife experts say the monkeys are the same as all animals in that if you give them their space they won't bother you so if you see one just leave it alone. Well, when you consider between the snakes and the monkeys my thought of visiting Florida are becoming as fleeting as my thoughts of visiting Africa that seems like it should be pretty easy to do.
Just like with the pythons the monkeys are not native to the area, but were brought over about 70 years ago and eventually set free to do what it is that monkeys do. They were originally contained to a small island off Florida but as they said in "Jurassic Park", "Nature finds a way." Before too long the monkeys learned to swim and are now filling in the trees around cities like Jacksonville. They are quite the hit on nature cruises and if it were just a few dozen it wouldn't be so bad but there are thousands of them and state officials are starting to become concerned. As you would imagine the monkeys can be quite a menace and on top of that they are a rare species, so the state just can't declare open season on them like they did with the pythons (although if there are thousands of them I would question just how rare they truly are). As if the thought of wild monkeys were bad enough, many of the animals caught in the last few years have come with a special present - herpes. I'm not quite sure how monkeys get herpes but I am sure that I don't want to think about it too much. Seems like a personal issue. Now, the wildlife experts say the monkeys are the same as all animals in that if you give them their space they won't bother you so if you see one just leave it alone. Well, when you consider between the snakes and the monkeys my thought of visiting Florida are becoming as fleeting as my thoughts of visiting Africa that seems like it should be pretty easy to do.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment