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One Escaped Research Monkey Shot by Mississippi Homeowner, Another Recovered as Search Continues

Officials say the primates were not infectious.

Overview

  • Authorities say a pickup transporting 21 rhesus macaques overturned on I‑59 near Heidelberg on Oct. 28, scattering animals and crates.
  • Five monkeys were killed during the immediate response, and 13 that remained caged were secured and returned to their owner.
  • Jessica Bond Ferguson told the Associated Press she fatally shot one loose macaque on Sunday after seeing it about 60 feet from her home.
  • In a separate incident reported by local officials, a homeowner’s call led wildlife officers to take another escaped monkey into custody.
  • Two monkeys remain missing as state wildlife officials and the Mississippi Highway Patrol continue the search and investigate the crash and response.