Caldera and her coworkers are protective of the monkeys, which have no fear of humans, making sure no one tries to catch or harm them. “You never know what people will do," she said.
“They quickly learn to adapt to a human diet — they love sugary things and salty things,” Williams said, noting they tolerate human food remarkably well. As monkeys are an invasive species, Florida puts tight restrictions on how Williams' group can help them. Trapped monkeys can’t be released — they must be euthanized or placed into captivity.
“The monkeys' lives matter regardless if they are nonnative or native,” she said. “All options should be exhausted to avoid euthanasia.” Her models show that without change, the colony will die off within 50 years.
Wow a story about Florida that makes it seem likable!