Monkeys escape in Mississippi after truck overturns

Overturned truck causes monkeys to escape | Courtesy: Jasper County Sheriff’s office

JASPER COUNTY, Miss. (WDEF) — According to the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, a truck hauling disease-carrying monkeys overturned around the 117 mile marker North of Heidelberg earlier Tuesday.

All but one of the escaped monkeys have since been “destroyed.”

When officers arrived on scene, the driver of the truck told law enforcement that the monkeys were dangerous and posed a threat to humans, although according to a Tulane University spokesperson, the monkeys are not infectious.

“Non-human primates at the Tulane National Biomedical Research Center are provided to other research organizations to advance scientific discovery. The primates in question belong to another entity and are not infectious. We are actively collaborating with local authorities and will send a team of animal care experts to assist as needed.”

– Tulane University spokesperson

Mississippi Wildlife and Fisheries is also assisting with locating the final monkey.

Do not approach the monkey if spotted, and call 911 instead.