JASPER COUNTY, Mississippi — A search is underway for a research monkey that escaped following a truck accident involving several rhesus monkeys on a Mississippi highway, as reported by local authorities.

Residents have been cautioned against approaching the approximately 40-pound primate. The driver of the vehicle advised the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department that these monkeys might exhibit aggression towards people and should only be handled with appropriate protective gear.

Initial reports suggested the monkeys were en route from Tulane University, a private institution in New Orleans. However, Tulane later clarified that the primates belonged to a different organization, emphasizing that the university had no role in their transport. Tulane also dispelled earlier claims by the sheriff’s department, stating that these animals are not carriers of infectious diseases.

“At the Tulane National Biomedical Research Center, non-human primates are supplied to various research bodies to promote scientific progress. The monkeys involved are owned by another entity and have not been exposed to infectious agents,” Tulane University declared in their statement. “Tulane was not responsible for the transport, but we are cooperating with local officials and have prepared a team of animal care specialists to help if necessary.”

According to a social media update by the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department, “all but one of the escaped monkeys has been captured and euthanized,” and they are coordinating with an animal disposal service. The total number of monkeys originally in the vehicle remains unspecified.

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks is aiding local authorities at the crash site.