Chaos on I-59: Tulane Lab Monkeys Escape After Truck Crash
Now, this is one of those unbelievable stories that sounds straight out of a movie. Picture this — a truck transporting a group of rhesus monkeys from Tulane University’s research center ends up crashing along Interstate 59 in Jasper County, Mississippi. The incident happened on October 28th, and what followed was complete chaos on the highway.
Authorities said the truck was hauling monkeys used for biomedical research, and after the crash, several of them escaped into the surrounding area. Officials from the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office quickly rushed to the scene and warned the public not to approach the animals. These monkeys, each weighing around 40 pounds, were described as “aggressive toward humans” and could only be handled safely with protective gear.
At first, there was a lot of confusion. Reports varied — some said six monkeys had escaped, others mentioned over twenty were in transit, with five found dead and several still missing. Later, it was confirmed that three monkeys remained on the loose while others were either captured or euthanized by authorities. Tulane University was promptly notified and sent a team of animal care specialists to help with recovery efforts.
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Now, here’s where things took an even stranger turn. Local law enforcement initially believed the monkeys carried infectious diseases like hepatitis C, herpes, or even COVID. Acting on this information from the truck’s driver, some of the animals were destroyed out of precaution. But later, Tulane issued an official statement clarifying that the monkeys were not infectious and that they belonged to another organization associated with their research network. The university emphasized that the animals posed no health threat to humans and that they were simply part of a shipment intended for scientific study.
The Jasper County Sheriff’s Department has since confirmed that they acted based on the information given to them at the scene, and that Tulane experts would return to retrieve the remaining caged monkeys and the remains of the others. Mississippi Wildlife and local law enforcement remained on-site to assist with the situation and ensure the area was safe.
The incident not only disrupted traffic but also raised several questions about the transport and handling of research animals. It’s been a complicated and emotional event — with concerns over animal welfare, public safety, and misinformation all colliding in the aftermath of one unexpected highway crash.
So, at the end of the day, what started as a routine animal transport turned into a major public scare — a reminder that even in a highly controlled research environment, one small accident can cause a very big mess.
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