21 Rhesus Monkeys Escape After Mississippi Crash

A truck hauling 21 rhesus macaques overturned Oct. 28 on Interstate 59 near Heidelberg in Jasper County, Mississippi, scattering crates and ejecting multiple animals. Authorities recaptured 13 of the primates, euthanized five, and by Wednesday said three remained missing. Jasper County deputies initially warned the animals were “aggressive” and — citing the driver — potentially infected with hepatitis C, herpes and COVID-19, but Tulane veterinarians and the university said the monkeys were pathogen-free and that Tulane did not own or transport them. A multiagency response, including Mississippi Wildlife and Fisheries, the Mississippi Highway Patrol, the Jasper County sheriff’s office and Tulane animal‑care teams, is investigating the crash, who owned or was transporting the primates, and why some animals were put down; officials urged the public not to approach any monkeys. Video of crates strewn and monkeys in roadside grass prompted criticism from animal-rights groups and revived scrutiny of Tulane’s regional primate research center.