Residents in Heidelberg, Mississippi, have been living in a state of anxiety after a truck carrying rhesus monkeys overturned on Interstate 59, releasing several of the animals into the surrounding neighborhoods. But for Jessica Bond Ferguson, a 35-year-old mother of five, the situation became intensely personal when one of the monkeys appeared near her home early on Sunday morning.
Her 16-year-old son had just run into the house, telling her that he saw something moving in their yard. “I didn’t hesitate,” Ferguson told the Associated Press. “I did what any mother would do to protect her children.”
Grabbing her phone and her legally registered firearm, she stepped outside and saw the monkey about 60 feet away. With police and animal control yet to arrive, Ferguson quickly made the decision to act. “At first, it just stood there. When I fired again, it backed up and fell down,” she said. “If it attacked someone’s child and I could have stopped it — that would have been on me.”
According to National Geographic, rhesus monkeys are intelligent creatures, but they can become extremely aggressive when stressed or separated from their group. The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office confirmed later that a monkey was located and secured early Sunday morning with assistance from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.
The escape of the monkeys occurred after a truck transporting 21 caged primates overturned north of Heidelberg. The animals had been sent from the Tulane University National Biomedical Research Center in New Orleans, which supplies animals for research institutions across the country. Tulane confirmed that the monkeys had been tested recently and were free from any pathogens.
Out of the 21 monkeys, 13 were recovered quickly, five unfortunately died, and three remained unaccounted for until Sunday’s incident at Ferguson’s home. Local authorities emphasized that while the animals were not infected, they were still considered dangerous to approach due to their unpredictable behavior.
Footage from the crash site showed broken wooden crates labeled “Live Animals” scattered along the roadside, with small figures darting through the tall grass. Sheriff Randy Johnson stated that wildlife experts were working with Tulane representatives to recover any remaining monkeys in a humane manner.
The incident raised concerns among locals about wildlife safety and emergency preparedness, particularly in rural areas. “It’s frightening,” Ferguson admitted. “People have children playing in their yards, and you never expect something like this to happen here.”
The Mississippi Highway Patrol is still investigating the cause of the truck’s overturn. Tulane University clarified that it did not own the animals and was not responsible for their transport arrangements.
Summary of the incident:
Rhesus monkeys escaped from a biomedical transport truck near Heidelberg, Mississippi.
Local mother Jessica Bond Ferguson acted quickly to protect her children.
Officials confirmed that although the monkeys were not carrying diseases, they remained a potential hazard due to their unpredictable nature.
Tulane University collaborated with local authorities to safely recover all remaining monkeys.
The event sparked concerns regarding wildlife management and public safety in rural communities.
As normal life begins to resume in the area, many people online have praised Ferguson’s actions as heroic, while others have pointed out the importance of waiting for professionals trained to handle such situations. Regardless of differing opinions, this story highlights the protective instinct of a mother — and serves as a reminder that even in small, peaceful towns, unexpected dangers can emerge at any moment.