It is not every day that a highway turns into a scene of monkey mayhem, but that is exactly what happened on the afternoon of Oct. 28, 2025.
The chaos began when a truck hauling 21 monkeys flipped on a Mississippi interstate. The animals were being transported from Tulane University in New Orleans. The species was identified as rhesus macaques, which are small and brown with red skin on their faces and are native to southern Asia.
The monkeys were being held in wooden crates that spilled into tall grass near the highway. Thirteen of the monkeys remained in their cages after the crash, while five were euthanized, according to the local sheriff’s office. Three others managed to escape.
By Nov. 2, five days after the crash, the first escapee had been captured. Authorities warned the public to avoid approaching the animals, as they could be aggressive and potentially carry diseases. Tulane University later confirmed that none of the monkeys were infected or posed any health risks.
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife joined forces with local deputies to locate the remaining two monkeys, using food and traps to lure them out of the dense forest nearby.
Tulane University declined to reveal where the monkeys were being transported, citing legally binding contracts. The lack of transparency has raised concern among locals and sparked rumors online, from government experiments to animal rights controversies.
The 13 recovered monkeys have since been returned to their handlers, but the two escapees are still on the loose. What began as a simple traffic accident has become one of Mississippi’s strangest stories of the year, a real life case of monkeys on the run.
