Authorities in Mississippi have had to calm the public after a truck transporting monkeys, which were labeled as ‘a threat to humans,’ overturned, causing the animals to escape.
The incident occurred on October 28, when the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department revealed on Facebook that a truck from Tulane University had overturned about 75 miles east of Jackson, Mississippi. This accident resulted in ‘several monkeys on the loose.’
The statement advised, “Do not approach the monkeys if you see one. Call 911,” and further mentioned, “They do pose potential health threats and are agressive [sic].”
The department also posted a photo showing one monkey peering from the overturned vehicle, stating: “This was a truck carrying Rhesus monkeys from Tulane University. The monkeys are approximately 40lbs, they are aggressive to humans and they require PPE to handle. The monkeys carry hepatitis C, herpes, and COVID.
Action News 5 reported that the Rhesus monkeys were en route to a testing center in Florida, having come from Tulane University in Louisiana.
State wildlife officials and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks joined local law enforcement at the scene. The sheriff’s department indicated that steps were being taken to ‘destroy’ the escaped monkeys.
In a recent update, the department mentioned that ‘three monkeys are still on the loose.’
Representatives from Tulane University were present to assist, and the university later addressed fears about the potential infectiousness of the monkeys.
On X, the university clarified: “Non-human primates at the TNBRC [Tulane National Biological Research Center] are provided to other research orgs to advance science. The primates in question belong to another entity & aren’t infectious. We’re actively collaborating with local authorities & will send a team of animal care experts to assist as needed.”
The Jasper County Sheriff’s Department reported that the truck driver had alerted them about the monkeys’ ‘dangerous’ nature, indicating the necessity for PPE when handling them.
Tulane University reaffirmed its position to NBC News, emphasizing that the monkeys were owned by another organization. “The primates in question belong to another entity, and they have not been exposed to any infectious agent,” the statement read. “The non-human primates were NOT being transported by Tulane, but we are actively collaborating with local authorities and are sending a team of animal care experts to assist.”