**Monkeys Escape After Truck Overturns on Mississippi Highway**

*HEIDELBERG, Miss. (AP)* — Monkeys being transported on a Mississippi highway escaped captivity Tuesday after the truck carrying them overturned, according to law enforcement officials.

All but one of the escaped monkeys were killed, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department said in a Facebook post, warning that the monkeys were “aggressive.” It remains unclear how many monkeys were originally in the truck.

The truck was carrying Rhesus monkeys, which typically weigh around 16 pounds (7.7 kilograms) and are among the most medically studied animals on the planet. The monkeys were being housed at the Tulane University National Biomedical Research Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, an institution that routinely provides primates to scientific research organizations.

In a statement, Tulane University clarified that the monkeys do not belong to the university, nor were they being transported by the university. Details about the ownership of the monkeys, who was transporting them, and their intended destination have not been disclosed.

Video footage shows monkeys crawling through tall grass on the side of Interstate 59 just north of Heidelberg, Mississippi. Wooden crates labeled “live animals” were found crumpled and scattered around the crash site.

Initially, the sheriff’s department stated that the monkeys were carrying diseases including herpes, but Tulane University later countered in a statement that the monkeys “have not been exposed to any infectious agent.” The sheriff’s department noted that the truck driver informed law enforcement that the monkeys were dangerous and required handling with personal protective equipment.

Tulane University said it is cooperating with law enforcement authorities. Mississippi Wildlife and Fisheries was also on the scene.

The crash occurred approximately 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the state capital, Jackson. The cause of the truck overturn remains unknown.
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