00:02A bizarre scene unfolded in Jasper County, Mississippi, after a truck carrying rhesus monkeys crashed on Interstate 59,
00:10leading to confusion, concern, and the deaths of several animals that officers were mistakenly told were dangerous and infected.
00:18According to the Jasper County Sheriff's Department, the truck linked to Tulane University crashed around 9.30 a.m., about 75 miles east of Jackson.
00:27The driver told deputies the monkeys were highly aggressive and carried multiple diseases, including hepatitis C, herpes, and COVID-19.
00:36Acting on that claim, deputies said they took appropriate actions, which included killing some of the monkeys that escaped.
00:43However, Tulane University later clarified that the rhesus monkeys were not infectious.
00:48In a statement, Tulane said the animals were being transported from its National Primate Research Center by a third-party carrier and posed no danger to the public.
00:58The university dispatched animal care experts to assist local authorities in recovering the remaining monkeys.
01:04Initial reports suggested only one monkey was missing, but after a full count, officials confirmed that three were still unaccounted for.
01:11Each weighs about 40 pounds, prompting local warnings for residents to avoid the area and report any sightings.
01:18The sheriff's department said the warnings were based solely on the driver's initial account.
01:23No injuries to people have been reported.
01:26An animal disposal company collected the deceased monkeys, while the surviving ones were secured until Tulane's team arrived.
01:32The crash has reignited debate over the transport of research animals.
01:35Tulane's primate research center, one of several in the U.S., breeds monkeys for biomedical studies, a practice often criticized by animal rights advocates.
01:45As of Tuesday, the search continues for the missing monkeys.
01:49Sheriff Randy Johnson has not yet commented on the conflicting information or the handling of the incident.
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