A Mississippi mother shot an escaped rhesus monkey near her home, saying she feared for her children’s safety after a truck crash released the animals.
Mother Confronts Escaped Monkey in Early Morning Scare
A Mississippi mother says she acted on instinct when she shot and killed a rhesus monkey that had escaped after a highway crash last week. The incident occurred early Sunday near Heidelberg, Mississippi, when Jessica Bond Ferguson was awakened by her 16-year-old son, who reported seeing a monkey in their yard.
Ferguson told local media she stepped outside with her cellphone and a firearm, spotting the animal roughly 18 metres (60 feet) away before firing twice. “I did what any mother would do to protect her children,” said Ferguson, who has five children aged between four and sixteen.
Escape Traced to Truck Crash on Interstate 59
The rhesus macaque was one of 21 monkeys being transported on Interstate 59 when a truck overturned north of Heidelberg on Tuesday. Most of the monkeys were killed in the crash, but authorities confirmed that three managed to escape.
The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office said one of the escaped monkeys was found on private property Sunday morning. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks later collected the animal’s remains.
Questions Surround Transport and Ownership
Officials have not yet disclosed which company was transporting the monkeys, their destination, or who owns them. Tulane University confirmed that while the primates had been housed at its National Biomedical Research Center in New Orleans, they were not owned or transported by the university.
The university routinely supplies research primates to biomedical institutions and said it had assisted in the post-accident response.
Public Health Concerns Raised and Reassured
Residents were initially warned that the escaped monkeys might carry infectious diseases, prompting fear throughout the rural community. Sheriff Randy Johnson said reports from the truck’s occupants mentioned “potential disease risk.”
However, Tulane University later confirmed the rhesus macaques had recently been examined and were pathogen-free. Despite the reassurance, officials advised residents to avoid contact with the animals, citing their unpredictable and sometimes aggressive nature.
Law Enforcement and Wildlife Response
Local and state authorities coordinated search efforts throughout Jasper County following the crash. Sheriff Johnson said animal experts determined that all escaped monkeys must be “neutralized” to prevent harm to residents.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol continues to investigate the cause of the truck accident, which occurred about 160 kilometres southeast of Jackson.
Ongoing Search and Safety Debate
As of Sunday evening, two of the escaped monkeys remained unaccounted for. Conservation officers and wildlife specialists have set up traps and are monitoring wooded areas near the crash site.
The incident has renewed debate over the transport of research animals across state lines, raising questions about containment protocols and community notification when such accidents occur.
