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One of three monkeys that escaped after a truck hauling 21 of the animals from Tulane University in New Orleans flipped on a Mississippi interstate has been found, according to authorities. The animal was captured several days after the crash.
The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office announced the recovery Sunday in a Facebook post.
“A homeowner on Highway 503 near Heidelberg found one of the monkeys on their property this morning,” the post said. “The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks responded, and the monkey is now in their possession. We have no other details at the moment.”
The monkeys were part of a controversial National Institutes of Health-funded program, according to the White Coat Waste Project, a nonprofit that campaigns against government-funded animal testing.
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The sheriff’s office said it “eliminated” five of the 40-pound monkeys after the crash. Authorities said the truck’s driver initially warned that the primates were dangerous and required protective gear to handle.
Tulane University told Fox News Digital that the monkeys had recently been examined and were free of disease before leaving the facility.
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Officials said 13 of the monkeys remained caged during the wreck north of Heidelberg and are now back with their owner, who is transporting them to their intended destination.
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Authorities did not release the owner’s identity or the monkeys’ original destination, citing confidentiality agreements.
Tulane University said that moving research animals is routine but governed by strict confidentiality agreements to protect the animals’ safety and the parties’ proprietary information.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and local law enforcement are investigating the incident.
Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
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