Three monkeys remained on the loose in rural Mississippi on Wednesday after a truck carrying research animals overturned, leaving authorities scrambling to track them down and raising questions about who owned the animals and where they were headed. The Jasper County Sheriff’s Department said the truck was carrying 21 Rhesus monkeys when it crashed Tuesday along Interstate 59 near Heidelberg. Officials initially believed only one monkey had escaped and that it had been killed, but Tulane University experts who examined the scene later determined three monkeys were still missing.

Rhesus monkeys, which typically weigh around 16 pounds, are among the most widely used primates in medical research. Sheriff Randy Johnson said the monkeys were not infectious, despite early reports from the truck’s occupants claiming they carried dangerous diseases. However, he said the animals were aggressive and needed to be “neutralized” if found. Tulane University said Wednesday that the monkeys had recently been tested and were confirmed to be pathogen-free. The university said it did not own or transport the animals but dispatched a team of veterinarians and researchers from its National Primate Research Center in Covington, Louisiana, to assist in their care and recovery. The center, located about 40 miles north of New Orleans, routinely houses primates used in scientific and biomedical studies. 

Video from the crash site showed several monkeys crawling through tall grass near the highway, with wooden crates (隔条箱) labeled “live animals” strewn across the roadside. By Wednesday morning, law enforcement officers and workers in protective clothing were combing the area in search of the missing animals. The remaining animals were recovered and transported safely back to Louisiana, officials said.

A Facebook post from Jasper County Sheriff’s Department said Tuesday, “The driver of the truck told local law enforcement that the monkeys were dangerous and posed a threat to humans. We took the appropriate actions after being given that information from the person transporting the monkeys.” Tulane University’s primate Research Center wrote on X Tuesday, “Non-human primates at the TNBRC are provided to other research organizations to advance science. The primates in question belong to another entity & aren’t infectious. We’re actively collaborating with local authorities & will send a team of animal care experts to assist as needed.”

The search follows a similar incident last year in South Carolina, when 43 Rhesus macaques escaped from a medical research breeding facility after an employee failed to properly secure an enclosure. Workers from the Alpha Genesis facility in Yemassee set traps to recapture the monkeys.

1. 4. What was the primary purpose of the social media statements from the authorities?（推理判断）

A    To apologize for the operational delay.

B    To justify their initial course of action.

C    To speculate on the monkeys’ destination.

D    To blame the driver for the accident.

2. 5. What is implied by mentioning the similar incident in South Carolina?（推理判断）

A    Employee negligence is the primary cause of all escapes.

B    The current search operation is likely to be successful.

C    Such escapes from research facilities are preventable.

D    Recapturing escaped monkeys is an impossible mission.