Overview
- A homeowner near Heidelberg reported an escaped rhesus macaque, and Mississippi wildlife officers captured the animal on Sunday.
- Two monkeys remain unaccounted for, with baited traps deployed and sightings requested via the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office or 1-800-BE-SMART.
- The Oct. 28 crash involved a truck hauling 21 research macaques from Tulane’s National Biomedical Research Center, and Tulane says it did not handle transport and the animals were recently cleared of disease.
- Authorities killed five macaques after the wreck following the driver’s warnings about infectious risk, a claim Tulane disputes, and multiple agencies are investigating the incident.
- Officials say 13 monkeys remained caged during the crash and were returned to their owner, while the owner’s identity and the destination remain undisclosed under confidentiality agreements.