MOUNT DORA, Fla. – A wild monkey’s visit to downtown Mount Dora has left behind plenty of laughs — and at least one viral banana-themed video.
The rhesus macaque was spotted Friday at the historic Lakeside Inn, where staff say it spent about 45 minutes roaming the property before continuing through downtown.
“It was very, very exciting,” said Dylan Gamez, the hotel’s marketing and public relations manager. “Not the kind of normal Friday morning we have here.”
The monkey was first seen running across the hotel’s driveway before climbing through trees, making its way onto the boathouse and eventually heading farther into downtown Mount Dora. Hotel staff said guests gathered to watch from a safe distance while employees snapped photos of the unexpected visitor.
After the monkey moved on, the hotel leaned into the unusual encounter by creating a humorous social media video featuring staff dressed in banana costumes trying to lure the monkey back.
The fun quickly spread beyond the hotel.
“One of the best things about this whole experience has been seeing how the community has really come together to jump on the whole monkey trend,” Gamez said. “Everybody’s just loving it.”
Businesses throughout downtown Mount Dora joined in with monkey-themed social media posts, joking that the wandering primate had stopped by their shops for ice cream, applied for jobs or made other surprise appearances.
While the videos are meant to be lighthearted, wildlife officials say people should not try to recreate them.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says rhesus macaques can carry diseases, including herpes B, and people should never approach or feed wild monkeys. Anyone who spots one should keep a safe distance and report the sighting to FWC.
“We don’t want anybody to try and attract the monkey,” Gamez said. “Please don’t come out here with bananas or any way of luring him. We just want to observe from a safe distance.”
The monkey has not been seen back at the hotel since Friday, though sightings have continued elsewhere around downtown Mount Dora.