Truck Full Of ‘Aggressive’ Lab Monkeys Crashes In Mississippi, Sparking Wild Scene On Highway

HEIDELBERG, Miss. (AP) — Monkeys being transported on a Mississippi freeway escaped captivity Tuesday after the truck carrying them overturned, in keeping with regulation enforcement.

All however one of many escaped monkeys have been killed, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Division mentioned in a submit on Fb, warning that the monkeys have been “aggressive.”

It was not clear what number of monkeys have been initially within the truck.

The truck was carrying Rhesus monkeys, which usually weigh round 16 kilos (7.7 kilograms) and are among the many most medically studied animals on the planet.

They have been being housed on the Tulane College Nationwide Biomedical Analysis Heart in New Orleans, Louisiana, which routinely supplies primates to scientific analysis organizations, in keeping with the college.

In an announcement, Tulane College mentioned the monkeys don’t belong to the college, they usually weren’t being transported by the college.

It was not clear who owns the monkeys, who was transporting them or the place they have been being taken.

Video reveals monkeys crawling via tall grass on the aspect of Interstate 59 simply north of Heidelberg, Mississippi, with wood crates labeled “dwell animals” crumpled and strewn about.

The sheriff’s division initially mentioned the monkeys have been carrying illnesses together with herpes, however Tulane College mentioned in an announcement that the monkeys “haven’t been uncovered to any infectious agent.”

The sheriff’s division responded by saying the motive force of the truck instructed regulation enforcement the monkeys have been harmful and wanted to be dealt with utilizing private protecting tools.

Tulane College mentioned it was working with regulation enforcement. Mississippi Wildlife and Fisheries was additionally on web site.

The crash occurred about 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the state capital of Jackson. It was not clear what brought on the truck to overturn.