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October 29, 2025
A truck carrying several rhesus monkeys overturned Tuesday afternoon on Interstate 59 north of Heidelberg, Mississippi, setting off a frantic search after multiple animals escaped from their crates.
According to the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department, the truck was hauling 21 monkeys when it lost control and flipped near mile marker 117. At least six monkeys managed to escape following the crash, with law enforcement and wildlife officials working quickly to contain the scene.
Witnesses described seeing monkeys running through roadside brush and damaged crates marked “live animals” scattered across the highway. Traffic was briefly halted as first responders secured the area.
Initial warnings from authorities suggested the monkeys might be aggressive or carrying diseases such as hepatitis C, herpes, or COVID-19. Later clarification from Tulane University officials, however, confirmed that the monkeys were not used in infectious research and posed no health threat to the public.
By late Tuesday evening, most of the animals had been captured or humanely euthanized, though at least one was still unaccounted for. Mississippi Wildlife and Fisheries assisted deputies in tracking the remaining monkey through nearby wooded areas.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation, and officials have not yet disclosed the origin or destination of the transport truck.
