Morgan Island, South Carolina facts for kids
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Nickname: Monkey Island
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 Morgan
Location in South Carolina
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| Geography | |
| Location | Atlantic Ocean |
| Coordinates | 32°27′55″N 80°31′10″W / 32.4652°N 80.5194°W |
| Archipelago | Sea Islands |
| Area | 1,816.63 ha (4,489.0 acres) |
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United States
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| State | South Carolina |
| County | Beaufort |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 (about 4000 rhesus monkeys) |
Morgan Island is one of the Sea Islands. It is found in Beaufort County, South Carolina. The island is just north of the town of Beaufort. It is also known as Monkey Island. This is because it has a large group of rhesus monkeys. These monkeys roam freely and have lived on the island since 1979.
What is Morgan Island?
Morgan Island is a large marshland island. It covers about 4,489 acres (1,817 hectares). About 635 acres (257 hectares) of this is higher, dry land. The island sits between the Morgan River and the Coosaw River. To the south, it touches the Saint Helena Sound. Parrot Creek is to its north.
The marshy areas have three main tidal creeks. Many smaller creeks also run through the island. No humans live on Morgan Island. Instead, it is home to a breeding group of about 3,500 rhesus monkeys. These monkeys originally came from India. A 370-acre (150-hectare) part of the island has a semi-tropical forest. This is where most of the monkeys live.
The monkey group on Morgan Island is very special. It is one of only two rhesus monkey groups in the mainland United States. The other group lives on the Silver River in Florida.
The Monkeys of Morgan Island
Historically, Morgan Island has always been empty of people. This is because of its location and how far it is from the mainland. The monkeys now on Morgan Island first lived in Puerto Rico. They were at the Caribbean Primate Research Center.
In the past, some monkeys escaped from their home in Puerto Rico. This caused health concerns for the local people. Puerto Rico became worried about this situation. So, South Carolina offered Morgan Island as a new home for the monkeys. It was a perfect, uninhabited place for them.
In 1979 and 1980, over 1,400 monkeys were moved to Morgan Island. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) owns the island itself. However, the monkeys living there are owned by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). These monkeys are important for public health research.
Protecting Morgan Island
Morgan Island is part of a special protected area. It is located within the ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve. This reserve is part of the National Estuarine Research Reserve system (NERR). This system helps protect important coastal areas.
