Archive · 29 Oct 2025
Jasper County Monkey Escape: Infected Status Disputed After Truck Overturn
A truck carrying monkeys crashed in Mississippi, and many of the monkeys got out and ran away!
The police said the monkeys might have been sick and dangerous, so they had to shoot and kill most of them to keep people safe.
But, the university where the monkeys came from said they weren't sick.
One monkey is still missing, and people are being told not to get close to any monkeys they see.
The police and the university are working together to find the missing monkey and figure out what happened with the crash.
A truck transporting Rhesus monkeys from Tulane University overturned on Interstate 59 in Jasper County, Mississippi.
Following the crash, several monkeys escaped into the surrounding woods.
Authorities reported the monkeys were potentially dangerous and infected, leading to the destruction of all but one escaped monkey.
Tulane University disputed claims that the monkeys were infectious, stating they belonged to another entity and were part of a biomedical research program.
One monkey remains at large, and authorities have issued warnings for residents not to approach the animal while a search is ongoing.
- Who
- Rhesus monkeys being transported from Tulane University's National Primate Research Center
- What
- A truck carrying laboratory monkeys overturned, leading to the escape of most of the primates. Authorities later shot and killed all but one of the escaped monkeys. The disease status of the monkeys was disputed between the Sheriff's Department and Tulane University.
- When
- Tuesday afternoon
- Where
- I-59 near mile marker 117, Jasper County, Mississippi
- Why
- The truck overturned while transporting the monkeys. The exact cause of the accident is under investigation.
Jasper County Sheriff's Department
Tulane University
Monkey Health Status
Jasper County Sheriff's Department
Claimed monkeys were infected with hepatitis C, herpes, and COVID-19, based on information from the truck driver.
Tulane University
Stated the primates belonged to another entity and were not infectious.
Monkey Threat Level
Jasper County Sheriff's Department
Described the monkeys as 'aggressive' toward humans and requiring personal protective equipment.
Tulane University
Did not comment on the specific aggressive behavior but stated they were part of a biomedical research program.
- Date
- Tuesday
- Location
- I-59 near mile marker 117, Jasper County, Mississippi
- Origin of Monkeys
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
- Destination of Monkeys
- Undisclosed testing facility
- Number of Monkeys on Truck
- Unknown (stated 21 in previous summary, not explicitly in this article)
- Escaped Monkeys
- All but one
- Monkeys Destroyed
- All but one of the escaped monkeys
- Monkeys Still at Large
- 1
