What happened to the monkeys in Puerto Rico?
What happened to the monkeys in Puerto Rico? Over the years, generations of monkeys have descended from that original colony, and today those descendants roam freely around the island, playing on its sandy beaches and exploring its endless canopy of trees.
Are there still monkeys in Puerto Rico?
You will see many neat things in Puerto Rico, but wild animals are not usually one of them – except if you go check out Monkey Island. Monkey Island (officially Cayo Santiago) is a small island, about 1 nautical mile off of the eastern coast of Puerto Rico, that is home to about 1000 free-roaming Rhesus monkeys.
Does Puerto Rico have alligators?
There are also 9 mangrove areas in Puerto Rico and the list of reptiles in PR does not include alligators or crocodiles (although I found some conflicting news reports). I see that Charlie has already shown that there may be a few cypress swamps that don't have alligators if you go far enough north and inland.
How did Puerto Rico get monkeys?
The island, known locally as Monkey Island, first became home to these unlikely inhabitants in the late 1930s, when primatologist Clarence Carpenter brought about 450 of the monkeys by ship from India to the 38-acre island to study their social and sexual behaviors.
Does Puerto Rico have monkeys in the rainforest?
When you think of a rainforest, you might imagine wildlife such as jaguars and monkeys, but you won't find those among El Yunque's animals. The island of Puerto Rico was formed from an underground volcano, so while the island boasts a lot of aquatic wildlife, birds, and amphibians, it doesn't have many endemic mammals.
Can the monkeys on Monkey Island swim?
Since these monkeys prefer not to swim, they can't come back to land. Over the years, the island has been battered by storms, causing disrepair. “There's not a whole lot of protection from the weather,” said John Pricher, Citrus County tourist development director.