Human/Non-Human Primate Interface in Dania Beach, Florida

The frequency of interactions between humans and non-human primates has risen in past decades due to the loss of primate habitat. Many primates now live within human habitats, raising questions about how humans interact with and affect primates. Dania Beach, Florida provides an unusual opportunity to study the dynamics of human interactions with a population of introduced primates. We examined the effect of human behavior on three groups of green vervet monkeys, Chlorocebus sabaeus, through behavioral observations conducted from January-February 2014. North Group A, located on business property, is provisioned 3x daily with nutrient dense fruits and nuts. These monkeys are habituated to human presence and appear to benefit from positive interactions with humans. North Group B, located within mangrove forest near businesses, is provisioned 2x daily with fruits, and restaurant food 2x weekly. This group is less habituated than North Group A, and avoids human contact outside of provisioning. In contrast, South Group C is situated within a residential area and has a history of being trapped since 1993. They are minimally provisioned, and rely on human food items from trash. South Group C exhibits defensive and aggressive behaviors towards humans. These results suggest that primates living in this group experience a negative human relationship, which may lead to an increase in stress levels. Additional exploration into the Dania Beach human/non-human primate interface is required to better understand the potential link between negative human interactions and primate proximity to residential areas.
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