In a dramatic incident in Mississippi, a mother shot and killed an escaped research monkey early Sunday morning, citing fears for her children’s safety. The event unfolded after a truck carrying the monkeys overturned last week, leading to a multi-day search for the escaped primates.
Jessica Bond Ferguson, a 35-year-old professional chef and mother of five, was awakened early Sunday by her 16-year-old son who reported seeing a monkey in their yard near Heidelberg, Mississippi. Grabbing her firearm and cellphone, she stepped outside and spotted the animal approximately 60 feet away. Concerned about potential diseases the monkeys might carry, as warned by authorities, she fired her gun. ‘I did what any other mother would do to protect my children,’ Bond Ferguson told The Associated Press, describing how the monkey fell after she shot it twice.
The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that a homeowner had found one of the monkeys on their property Sunday morning, and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks took possession of the animal. Bond Ferguson had called police before confronting the monkey and was advised to monitor it, but she acted out of fear that it could harm children in the neighborhood. ‘If it attacked somebody’s kid, and I could have stopped it, that would be a lot on me,’ she explained, highlighting the perceived danger from the aggressive primate.
The monkeys had escaped after a truck transporting them overturned on Interstate 59 north of Heidelberg on Tuesday. Of the 21 Rhesus monkeys in the truck, 13 were recovered at the scene, five were killed during the search, and three remained at large before Sunday’s incident. The Mississippi Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the crash, which occurred about 100 miles from Jackson, the state capital. Video from the crash site showed monkeys crawling through tall grass beside the interstate, with damaged crates labeled ‘live animals’ scattered about.
Authorities had initially warned residents that the escaped monkeys might carry diseases, but later clarified that the animals were not infectious. Jasper County Sheriff Randy Johnson stated that despite the monkeys being pathogen-free, they needed to be ‘neutralized’ due to their aggressive nature. Tulane University, which housed the monkeys at its National Biomedical Research Center, confirmed that the primates had recently received health checkups and were free of pathogens, and they were being transported to research organizations.
Rhesus monkeys, weighing about 16 pounds, are among the most medically studied animals and are known for their aggression. This incident echoes a similar escape last year in South Carolina, where 43 monkeys broke free from a breeding facility due to an employee error. The recurring nature of such events raises questions about safety protocols in the transport and handling of research animals, especially in populated areas.
The ongoing search for any remaining escaped monkeys underscores broader concerns about public safety and the ethical management of wildlife in research contexts. Officials continue to urge caution while the community processes this unusual threat, and the incident may prompt reviews of transport regulations to prevent future occurrences and ensure both human and animal welfare.