A frantic Mississippi mother shot and killed a monkey that escaped from an overturned truck on her property, fearing for the safety of her children. The 16-year-old son alerted his mother, Jessica Bond Ferguson, who immediately grabbed her firearm and stepped outside to confront the primate.
According to authorities, the rhesus monkeys had been housed at the Tulane University National Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana before being sent to a facility in South Carolina for transportation. However, an employee failed to secure the enclosure properly, resulting in the escape of 43 primates.
Ferguson claimed that she shot one of the monkeys because it was "potentially diseased" and posed a threat to her children's well-being. The Jasper county sheriff's office initially stated that the monkeys carried diseases such as herpes but later clarified that they had undergone recent check-ups confirming their pathogen-free status.
Experts warn that rhesus macaques are known for their aggressive behavior, making them "neutralization" a necessity in situations like this. Conservation workers and law enforcement officials have been working to locate the remaining three escapees.
As authorities continue their search, they must also consider the risks associated with interacting with these intelligent but unpredictable animals. Video footage from the crash site showed monkeys roaming freely on the roadside, highlighting the need for improved safety measures in transport and handling procedures.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers that can arise when exotic animals are not properly cared for or transported. As investigations unfold, it remains to be seen whether Ferguson's actions will be deemed justified or if she will face any repercussions for her decision to shoot the monkey.
According to authorities, the rhesus monkeys had been housed at the Tulane University National Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana before being sent to a facility in South Carolina for transportation. However, an employee failed to secure the enclosure properly, resulting in the escape of 43 primates.
Ferguson claimed that she shot one of the monkeys because it was "potentially diseased" and posed a threat to her children's well-being. The Jasper county sheriff's office initially stated that the monkeys carried diseases such as herpes but later clarified that they had undergone recent check-ups confirming their pathogen-free status.
Experts warn that rhesus macaques are known for their aggressive behavior, making them "neutralization" a necessity in situations like this. Conservation workers and law enforcement officials have been working to locate the remaining three escapees.
As authorities continue their search, they must also consider the risks associated with interacting with these intelligent but unpredictable animals. Video footage from the crash site showed monkeys roaming freely on the roadside, highlighting the need for improved safety measures in transport and handling procedures.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers that can arise when exotic animals are not properly cared for or transported. As investigations unfold, it remains to be seen whether Ferguson's actions will be deemed justified or if she will face any repercussions for her decision to shoot the monkey.
I don't know about this... 43 monkeys escaping and a mom just shooting one because it might be diseased? That sounds super sketchy to me 
I need some concrete evidence that these monkeys were indeed diseased before she made that split-second decision. And what about the sheriff's office initially saying they carried diseases, only to later correct themselves? 
What changed? Did someone do a new test or just backtrack because they didn't want to start an animal rights panic? 
I need some transparency here, pls!
I guess you could say they're going bananas! But seriously, 43 primates escaping from a truck is like something out of a crazy movie. I wonder if anyone got a good shot of Jessica Bond Ferguson in her element – literally. A mom defending her kids with a firearm because a potentially diseased monkey was roaming around? That's just a wild ride of emotions! 
And now the authorities are saying these monkeys were disease-free? Did they have a team of experts come and give Jessica a thorough medical check-up while she was shooting at the primate? Just kidding, but for real, this is like a scene straight out of a thriller. Can we just say that transport and handling procedures need some serious monkeying around with? 
this is just so wild. I mean I get why Jessica was freaked out on her kid's safety but come on shooting a monkey that might've had herpes? That's like, a whole lot of unnecessary drama 
.
. These animals are wild and unpredictable, but do we really have to shoot 'em? Can't we just try to catch 'em safely or something? I mean, it's not like they're going anywhere 
. I'm all for safety first and all, but come on... let's learn from this mistake 
.
That's like, 1 in every 300,000 people in the US! 
And now there's a girl who shot one because she thought it was diseased... 
I mean, we get it, you want to protect your kids, but wasn't there a way to call wildlife control or something? 
According to the CDC, only like 10% of rhesus macaques carry diseases, so the risk is pretty low! 
However, shooting an animal when it's clearly just lost is a big decision... 
These monkeys might be aggressive, but so are humans when they're scared or threatened - we need better solutions than violence. 
I know they're supposed to be smart and all, but you still gotta think about safety first, right? 
... and what's with the lack of regulation around transporting exotic animals? We should be prioritizing safety measures over convenience 
... it's just not worth risking people's lives or animal welfare for a few extra minutes on the road.
and now the whole thing has turned into a huge investigation.
... they're still out there on their own, without any care or supervision. It's a miracle nobody else got hurt in this whole situation 
.
I mean, come on... a 16-year-old kid tells his mom that some escaped monkeys are loose and she's like "oh no, gotta go full cop" 
I get it, kids are unpredictable but shooting one down? That's just a recipe for disaster 
. And what really gets me is those poor monkeys were already under quarantine after being checked by health experts 
. And don't even get me started on how many monkeys escaped in the first place... 43?! How did no one notice that before sending them off on transport? 
Those monkeys might've been aggressive, but who knows what was going through that mom's head in those split seconds?