Monkey Business at the Airport: A Surprising Encounter in Florida

A man's routine trip to the airport took an unexpected turn when he discovered an uninvited guest perched atop his vehicle – a monkey. This surprising encounter sheds light on the little-known fact that Florida is home to various colonies of non-native primates, with the population growing in recent years.

Uncovering the Unexpected: A Primate Surprise at the Airport

A Chance Encounter with a Curious Creature

When Reddit user u/disgruntledmarmoset, known as Geoffrey, arrived at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) after a flight from LaGuardia Airport in New York, he was expecting a straightforward trip home. However, as he approached his car in the parking lot, he was met with an unexpected surprise – a monkey sitting on top of his vehicle.Geoffrey, a 26-year-old, recounted his astonishment, saying, "My car is kinda high and I wasn't expecting any surprises, so I didn't see him at first. I heard like a scratching sound and looked up and saw him. I was like W**!"Undeterred, Geoffrey decided to document the encounter, snapping a picture of the primate perched on his car. He then tried to shoo the monkey away, hitting the lock button on his car to see if the sound would startle it, but the monkey remained unfazed.

Monkey Business: Dealing with the Uninvited Guest

Determined to remove the unwelcome visitor, Geoffrey resorted to a more direct approach. "I opened and slammed [the door] to see if he'd run, and it worked. He scurried down over my windshield and hood and ran away, and that was it," he recounted.This unexpected encounter was not just a quirky anecdote, but rather a glimpse into a larger phenomenon – the presence of non-native monkey populations in the state of Florida.

Monkeys in the Sunshine State: A Surprising Revelation

While Geoffrey's experience may have been surprising to many, it sheds light on a little-known fact: Florida is home to various colonies of non-native monkeys, and the primate population has been steadily growing in recent years.One of the species identified in the incident is the Green Vervet monkey, which has been thriving in certain areas of Florida for decades. In fact, a colony of these monkeys has been living near Fort Lauderdale for over 80 years, having escaped from the Dania Chimp Farm in the 1940s.The Dania Chimp Farm, previously known as the Anthropoid Ape Research Foundation (ARFF), had been using the monkeys for both entertainment and research purposes. Now, the project serves as a sanctuary for the free-ranging apes of the area.

Reactions and Reflections: The Unexpected Becomes the Norm

Geoffrey's post on the subreddit "animalid" quickly gained traction, with over 5,800 upvotes, as Reddit users shared their own experiences and insights about the presence of monkeys in Florida.One user marveled at the revelation, commenting, "What the hell, Florida. Every week I learn about a new invasive species you have that's been there for decades." Another Floridian even offered a fun fact, stating, "There's a large colony of them that hang out at the Fort Lauderdale Airport Park N Fly. They're fun to go look at. Not sure on type though."The discovery of these monkey colonies in Florida has surprised many, with one user summing it up perfectly: "That's amazing!! I love that they have people working to protect them. I had no idea there were monkeys in Florida. I'm shocked!"As the conversation unfolded, it became clear that the presence of these non-native primates in the Sunshine State is not as uncommon as one might think. Geoffrey's chance encounter has shed light on a little-known aspect of Florida's diverse and sometimes unexpected wildlife.