- February 4, 2025
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A brown rhesus macaque monkey was spotted Thursday, Jan. 17, in the Whitepalm Apartment Complex, in Port Orange. The monkey appeared to have an injured leg and was approximately 2.5 feet tall, according to an eyewitness.
Animal control was contacted immediately and responded to the call, but by the time an officer responded, the monkey had disappeared into the nearby woods.
There are prior reports of a rhesus macaque monkey living in the woods behind the Whitepalm Apartments, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s public information coordinator, Greg Workman.
Residents were promptly notified by Whitepalm Management and were advised to take caution if they see the animal again. They were asked to contact Animal Control immediately and to not approach or feed the monkey.
Monkeys can carry diseases, such as rabies and hepatitis, and can be harmful to humans. They are also aggressive in nature.
Workman confirmed the monkey spotted in Whitepalm is of the same species found in Silver Springs. He said it's "plausible" that the monkey could have migrated to Port Orange over the years. However, “DNA testing would need to be completed in order to confirm.”
It could also be a monkey that is established in the area, not one that is migrating. But, “I received information that there's no escaped monkey from anyone who has permits to possess one,” Workman said. “We’ve also been trying to contact the individual that called this incident in to us and haven’t been successful in making this contact.”
Whitepalm Apartments are located between Villages of Royal Palm Boulevard and North Summer Trees Road. If you see the monkey, please contact one of the following agencies:
