Monkey Jungle
- 14805 SW 216th St.
- South Miami-Dade, FL 33170
- 305-235-1611
- http://www.monkeyjungle.com
- Report an error
While the monkeys are free to roam in the park’s jungle habitat, you meander through a screened walkway--or cage--as monkeys scamper across, clinging to walls and peering at you from above with eyes begging for treats. Scattered throughout the park are various exotic primates, such as gibbons, spider monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, baboons, Diana monkeys, ring-tailed lemurs, red-handed tamarinds, a golden lion tamarind, and a woolly.
Their slogan is, “Where humans are caged and monkeys run wild!” And it’s true. While the monkeys are free to roam in the park’s jungle habitat, you meander through a screened walkway—or cage—as monkeys scamper across, clinging to walls and peering at you from above with eyes begging for treats. Look for little dangling silver buckets throughout—where there’s one, there’s bound to be a monkey sitting atop the walkway waiting for you to place a raisin or seed inside so he can pull it up with a chain to claim a snack. Some of the larger, more exotic primates are housed in their own cages, but you can still give them treats via feeding tubes that let monkey food slide to eagerly awaiting hands.
Monkey Jungle is more of a “biopark” than a theme park, so it’s human territory is relatively small. Most of the land is for the monkeys only, giving them plenty of room to flourish—there are more than 400 primates living on the 30-acre preserve—while conservationists and scientists study them. It was founded in 1933 by Joseph and Grace DuMond and has been family owned ever since.
There are four main presentations offered by guides every 45 minutes throughout the day that give visitors a closer look at the animals and a chance to learn more about the park and its different primate species. Watch monkeys wade and dive for treats at the Wild Monkey Swimming Pool, see trainers work with Mei the orangutan at Hangin’ with Orangs, visit Cameroon Jungle to see King, a western lowland gorilla, and learn about the recreated South American Rainforest habitat as cute capuchins and feisty squirrel monkeys scurry for lunch at a feeding.
Outside of the screened walkways is an open area featuring aviaries for free-flying parrots and macaws, plus iguana exhibits. Look for the large, colorful Rhino Iguana sunbathing on branches, almost camouflaged. Scattered throughout the park are various exotic primates that you might have never seen before, including gibbons, spider monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, baboons, Diana monkeys, ring-tailed lemurs, red-handed tamarinds, a golden lion tamarind, and a woolly. Although you can’t feed most of them, they are still worth a look.
Since Monkey Jungle is completely outdoors, you might want to wear some bug spray and also bring some water, unless you really feel like throwing $3 at a vending machine. Also, here’s fair warning about the smell—this is the monkeys’ home, which means it’s also their bathroom, so it doesn’t smell like roses. Also, wear a hat to protect yourself from monkey droppings from above.
--Melissa GarciaHours
9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily (box office closes 4 p.m.)Details
Location
- Current 78.8 °F
- It's a tennis day
- Take a lesson in Brickell
