Police in central Florida have been dealing with quite a bit of monkey business as of late — a literal monkey is on the loose in Orange County.
Orange City police said they started getting calls Friday, totaling a half dozen or more monkey sightings in different areas of the city within a three-mile range or so.
One sighting happened at a fast food restaurant Wednesday, WESH reported.
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“I'm like this cannot be possible, and I'm like I'm telling everybody, 'listen, there's a monkey-- a monkey,'” said Kim Bialobos, shift manager at an Orange City Popeye's.
While making preparations at the drive-thru window, something caught Bialobos' eye.
She shared pictures she took as the very cheeky monkey cruised around before finally hopping over the fence separating the restaurant from a wooded area.
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“He's a smart monkey ‘cause he stopped right here, and he looked over at the traffic, and he knew not to go that way,” Bialobos told WESH.
“It's not every day you hear about a monkey on the loose,” a police officer said. “We would send someone out to that area, no luck, we can't find it, and it just kept going on. Several days throughout the several days."
Bialobos said the monkey is pretty big.
“He looked very well groomed; he was very maintained. He looked healthy, he didn't look like a wild monkey,” the manager said.
So far, no one has claimed they lost a pet and the nearest zoo and animal sanctuaries haven't notified the police that they're missing an animal.
Orange City police warned that no one shoukd try to feed or capture the monkeys.
Police added that anyone who comes in contact with a monkey should contact FWC for further assistance.
The Wildlife Alert Hotline can be reached at 888-404-FWCC (888-404-3922).
