Exotic Animal Incident Report

Reported: Jun 23, 2011
Location: Lafayette, Louisiana

Animal: Rhesus Monkeys
Animal Disposition: dead

Facility Type: Non-accredited Zoo
Facility Name: University of Louisianna New Iberia Research Center

Category: Animal Death, Animal Death by human
Species: Primate

Summary: University of Louisianna Lafayette's New Iberia Research Center violated a Federal regulation in connection with the deaths of three Rhesus monkeys, a May 31 report by the U.S. Dept of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service alleges. The Rhesus monkeys, all one to two year old yearlings, died after tye were "accidentally blocked" in a chute connecting two outdoor cages. The USDA report states that the 3 monkeys' bodies had begun to decompose inside the enclosed metal chute, "...therefore they ahd been trapped for some time and not properly monitored..." indicating that the NIRC did not follow Animal Welfare Act regulations.

Source: TheAdvertiser.com