the springs . The boat tours began running in the 1870s , and still run today . Some of the current glass bottom boat captains have been guiding tourists across the crystalclear waters for over 30 years .
The springs are some of Florida ’ s largest , and are home to myriad creatures including alligators , great blue herons , egrets , turtles , and even monkeys ! Rhesus monkeys were introduced on a small island in the park in the 1930s to enhance the “ Jungle Cruise ” boat ride . However , their excellent swimming ability was not taken into account , and they quickly escaped their confines , forming feral troops and establishing their population along the river banks . The monkeys can still be seen there today ( though we did not catch any glimpses of them while we were there ).
Silver Springs has also been the site of many Hollywood films , including Tarzan , The Creature from the Black Lagoon , and the TV Series Sea Hunt . Scenes from Legend and James Bond were also filmed on site .
In 1971 Silver Springs was declared a National Natural Landmark . But it wasn ’ t until 1993 , when some of the first scientific studies were performed , that a concerted effort to preserve and maintain the natural habitat were implemented . Even so , Silver Springs has faced serious difficulties in the
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