Three monkeys were discovered and killed after a truck transporting them to a laboratory slammed in Pennsylvania, allowing them to escape and sparking a police hunt. The truck turned in front of an oncoming dump truck near Danville, Pennsylvania, on Friday. It was on its way to a facility in Florida.
Police reported on Saturday night that they found all of the 100 monkeys. Four monkeys were missing after the crash at the time.
Police said on Twitter that “a small number of monkeys may have fled the crash scene into the surrounding area.”
The escaped animals were euthanized, according to local news site WNEP, citing the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Long-tailed macaques, also known as Cynomolgus monkeys were the animals in the vehicle. According to the New York Times, the animals can cost up to $10,000 (€8,800) each. They have been in high demand for coronavirus vaccine exploration.
A police helicopter equipped with infrared cameras tracked down the cynomolgus monkeys. Officers on the ground likewise utilized bright flashlights.
Residents were also notified to not move towards them and to phone 911 if they find the animals. On Friday afternoon, the event likewise occurred near Danville, Pennsylvania. The consignment of the animals entered Friday morning at New York’s Kennedy Airport from Mauritius.
Andrea Pelachick of the Pennsylvania State Police authorized the search for the fugitive monkeys in Montour County. “The vehicle involved was carrying 100 monkeys and when the crash occurred a handful of monkeys got out,” she told NBC News.
The multi-vehicle crash also closed Route 54 near Interstate 80 for about three hours, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.