03.11.2025 12:42
A monkey that escaped from a research center in America was shot and killed by a mother trying to protect her children. The incident sparked a significant reaction on social media. The escaped monkeys were being held at the Tulane University National Biomedical Research Center and were used in various scientific studies.
```html
The incident that occurred in the state of Mississippi, United States, caused a great stir on social media. Last week, one of the monkeys that escaped from a research center was shot and killed by a mother trying to protect her children.
Jessica Bond Ferguson, a mother of five, experienced great panic when her 16-year-old son said, "I saw a monkey in the yard!" on Sunday morning. Living near the town of Heidelberg, Ferguson immediately got out of bed, grabbed her gun, and went outside. When she noticed the monkey standing about 20 meters away, she perceived it as a threat.
Ferguson stated that they had previously received warnings from local authorities that the escaped monkeys could carry diseases, saying:
"I did what any mother would do. I protected my children. I fired a shot first, it didn't move. Then I shot again, and at that moment, it fell to the ground."
The Jasper County Sheriff's Office confirmed in a statement made on social media that a homeowner found one of the escaped monkeys on their property. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks also reported that the dead monkey had been secured.
It was learned that the escaped animals were being held at the Tulane University National Primate Research Center in New Orleans and were used in various scientific studies. The university stated in a press release that the monkeys did not belong to them and that the truck transporting them had no connection to the university.
The truck involved in the accident overturned north of Heidelberg last Tuesday. It was reported that there were a total of 21 Rhesus monkeys in the truck, most of which died, but three escaped. Following the incident, the Mississippi State Police began investigating the cause of the accident.
In footage taken after the accident, it was seen that crates labeled "Live Animals" had overturned and that the monkeys were wandering by the roadside.
Jasper County Sheriff Randy Johnson stated that Tulane officials said the monkeys were "not infectious," but still needed to be neutralized "because they were aggressive."
Tulane University announced that the animals had recently undergone health checks and confirmed that they did not carry any pathogens.
Rhesus monkeys typically weigh between 7-8 kilograms and are among the most commonly used primates in scientific research. This species, originally native to the Asian continent, can also be found in regions such as Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Puerto Rico.
The incident quickly became a trending topic on social media. One user wrote, "Just a news story we might see in 2025: disease-carrying monkeys from Tulane escaped in Mississippi!" Another humorously commented, "Zombies must be on the way too."
About a year ago, 43 Rhesus monkeys raised for medical research escaped in South Carolina due to a worker not fully closing their cage. In that incident, it took days to capture the monkeys.
The recent incident in Mississippi has raised concerns about both biosecurity measures and wildlife management.
```