Heidelberg, Miss.. Monkeys transported on a Mississippi highway escaped capture on Tuesday after the truck they were traveling in overturned, according to law enforcement.
All but one of the escaped monkeys were killed, the Jasper County Police Department said in a Facebook post, warning that the monkeys were “aggressive.” It is not clear how many monkeys were in the truck originally or how many were killed.
It was the truck Rhesus monkeys carrywhich typically weigh about 16 pounds (7.7 kg) and are among the most medically studied animals on the planet. They were housed at Tulane University’s National Center for Biomedical Research in New Orleans, Louisiana, which routinely provides primates to scientific research organizations, according to the university.
It was not clear who was transporting the monkeys or where they were going.
The video shows monkeys crawling through tall grass on the side of Interstate 59 north of Heidelberg, Mississippi, with wooden boxes labeled “live animals” crumpled and scattered.
The Sheriff’s Department initially said the monkeys were carrying diseases including herpes, but Tulane University said in a statement that the monkeys were “not contagious.” Law enforcement officials did not immediately respond to a request for clarification.
Tulane University said it is working with local law enforcement. Mississippi Wildlife and Fisheries are also available on site.
The accident occurred about 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the state capital, Jackson. It is not yet clear why the truck overturned.