Where Did the Monkeys Near Fort Lauderdale Airport Come From?

[Javaman]

12. The (Really) Wild Monkeys Of South Texas

https://www.tpr.org/environment/2020-10-03/the-really-wild-monkeys-of-south-texas

It seems unlikely, but the harsh environment of South Texas plays host to a large population of Japanese Snow Monkeys. They’ve been housed in a sanctuary near Dilley for many years. But stories continue to circulate about Japanese Snow Monkeys being spotted in the wild. It’s a story that goes back almost 50 years.

The year is 1972, the Vietnam war is dragging on. A South Texas Rancher named Edward Dryden heard about the plight of a troupe of Japanese Snow Monkeys, which had become a nuisance in a small Japanese town. The locals wanted them gone.

Dryden wasn’t an animal rights activist. In fact he planned on reselling some of the primates to U.S. medical researchers. About 150 monkeys were transported to his ranch near Encinal.

And then the story gets complicated.