Monkeys have a unique relationship to the state of Florida. Whether on the pages of crime capers like Carl Hiaasen’s Bad Monkey, or real life news stories like the Tampa Bay Mystery Monkey, simians continue to fascinate sunshine state residents.
And if you’ve ever canoed up the Silver River, chances are you’ve had a monkey encounter yourself. The troupe of monkeys at Silver Springs have become something of a tourist attraction but now the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is calling on people to keep their distance.
So how did those monkeys get there in the first place? What impact have they had on the environment, and what's the future of these animals?
Tampa Bay Times reporter Craig Pittman joins Intersection along with Bob Gottschalk, who spent 8 years researching the monkeys, for a discussion about the Silver Springs monkey troupe.
In her book The Hello Girls, historian Elizabeth Cobbs chronicles the fight for veteran status of women who served in the US Army Signal Corps in World War One. Cobbs says there are parallels between their struggle and contemporary battles for equality.
And- singer songwriter Cat Ridgeway joins Intersection to perform new music as she prepares for the Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival.