Research monkeys escape after truck crashes in Mississippi

A group of research monkeys escaped from a truck after the vehicle crashed and overturned on a Mississippi highway, authorities said. While originally believed to be infectious, the primates were not carrying any diseases.

The rhesus monkeys were being transported from Tulane University when the truck, traveling on Interstate 59 north of Heidelberg, crashed and overturned.

It was unclear what caused the crash.

Rhesus monkeys are a species commonly used in medical research, according to the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department.

The monkeys are anatomically and genetically very similar to humans, making them successful models for disease research, according to Understanding Animal Research.

Social media posts by the sheriff’s department originally had warned residents to stay away from the monkeys, saying they were dangerous and disease-ridden.

But according to a statement issued by Tulane University via email on Tuesday, the animals were not exposed to any diseases.

“Non-human primates at the Tulane National Biomedical Research Center are provided to other research organizations to advance scientific discovery,” the statement read. “The primates in question belong to another entity, and they have not been exposed to any infectious agent.”

The Clarion Ledger newspaper in Mississippi was also contacted by Mike Strecker, assistant vice president of media relations at Tulane, who confirmed the statement. Strecker told the newspaper that the animals were not exposed to any infectious diseases.

The sheriff’s office wrote on social media that all but three of the escaped monkeys have been killed. It also stated that the driver of the truck told local authorities that the animals were dangerous.

According to Tulane University officials, the driver of the truck is not employed by the university.

“The driver of the truck told local law enforcement that the monkeys were dangerous and posed a threat to humans,” the sheriff’s department wrote on social media. “We took the appropriate actions after being given that information from the person transporting the monkeys.”

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