Monkey Recovery After Truck Accident
Authorities reported that one of the three monkeys which escaped following a truck accident on a Mississippi highway has been captured. This occurred after a truck carrying 21 monkeys from Tulane University in New Orleans overturned.
The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office shared the update via a Facebook post, mentioning that a homeowner on Highway 503 near Heidelberg found a monkey on their property. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks responded to the scene, and the monkey is now in their care. No further details were provided.
The White Coat Waste Project, a nonprofit advocating against government-funded animal testing, pointed out that these monkeys were part of a controversial program funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Authorities stated that five of the 40-pound monkeys were removed after the crash, with warnings from the truck driver suggesting that handling them required protective gear due to their potentially dangerous nature.
Tulane University clarified that the monkeys had been tested before their transport and were found to be healthy.
Out of the group, 13 monkeys remained secured during the accident and have since been returned to their owners, who are in the process of transporting them to their intended location.
Currently, two rhesus macaques are still at large, and officials have cautioned local residents, labeling the primates as “aggressive.” The identity of the owner and the original destination of the monkeys have not been disclosed due to confidentiality agreements.
Tulane emphasized that the movement of research animals is a typical procedure but is subject to strict confidentiality to ensure both animal safety and privacy for involved parties.
The incident remains under investigation by the Mississippi State Highway Patrol, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and local law enforcement.
