'Aggressive' monkey escapes after Mississippi truck crash as police launch frantic search
Officers said six monkeys in total had escaped after a transfer to a testing lab went awry
Authorities are warning residents to stay alert after a monkey escaped when a truck transporting laboratory primates overturned on a highway.
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The crash happened on Tuesday near Heidelberg, Mississippi when a semi-trailer hauling rhesus monkeys from Tulane University to a Florida testing lab flipped over on Interstate 59.
The wreck scattered cages and left several of the animals loose in a rural area.
Police said the driver immediately told officers the monkeys were "dangerous and posed a threat to humans".
Officers said six monkeys in total had escaped.
"We are continuing to look for the one monkey that is still on the loose," police said.
"They do pose potential health threats and are aggressive."
In a statement shared on Facebook, they wrote: "He also stated that you had to wear PPE equipment to handle the monkeys. All but one of the escaped monkeys have been destroyed.
"We have been in contact with an animal disposal company to help handle the situation."
Mississippi Wildlife and Fisheries teams are assisting local law enforcement in the search.
The force also confirmed Tulane University had been notified and “will send a team to pick up the monkeys tomorrow (the ones that are still caged)".
The animals were said to weigh around 40 lbs each and "require PPE to handle".
Officials warned that anyone who sees the loose monkey should avoid contact and call 911 immediately.
Images shared by police showed one primate climbing out of the trailer wreckage before disappearing into nearby woodland.
However, Tulane National Biomedical Research Center has disputed claims the monkeys were infected.
In a statement, it said: “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.”
The university’s statement appears to contradict police claims that the monkeys carried multiple diseases, including herpes B and hepatitis C — both of which can be transmitted through bites or scratches.