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Forrest, the last escaped monkey from Mississippi highway crash, finds new life at New Jersey sanctuary
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The final monkey who escaped from a transport van that crashed Oct. 28 on a Mississippi highway has been safely recovered and will spend the rest of his days at a New Jersey animal sanctuary.
The truck flipped while hauling 21 rhesus macaque monkeys from Tulane University in New Orleans for biomedical research.
Due to conflicting statements about the monkeys’ conditions, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office fatally shot five of the animals, with 13 remaining caged.
Three others escaped, two of whom were shot by local residents within a week after the crash.
The remaining Mississippi rhesus monkey was found and is now in Popcorn Park Animal Refuge. (Popcorn Park Animal Refuge/Facebook)
TRUCKLOAD OF ‘AGGRESSIVE’ RESEARCH MONKEYS ESCAPE AFTER TRUCK CRASH IN MISSISSIPPI; 1 STILL ON THE LOOSE
The Popcorn Park Animal Refuge in Forked River, New Jersey, announced Tuesday the final monkey, who has been named Forrest, was safely rescued.
“[Forrest’s] life changed forever after a frightening highway accident in Mississippi,” the refuge wrote in a Facebook post. “Of the 3 remaining escapees, Forrest was the last and only one to survive, safely recovered after about a week on the run. Because he had spent so much time outside of the facility, he could not return to the research program. That’s when our team stepped in to offer him lifelong sanctuary at Popcorn Park Animal Refuge.”
Officials said when Forrest arrived at the facility, he did not have a name, only a tattooed identification number, “NI 62.”
Forrest, the last missing monkey, will live at the New Jersey animal refuge. (Popcorn Park Animal Refuge)
ESCAPED MONKEY CAPTURED BY AUTHORITIES DAYS AFTER TRUCK CRASH FLIPS VEHICLE IN MISSISSIPPI
“Now living safely in our Monkey House, Forrest is steadily acclimating to his new home. He’s getting to know his caretakers and his neighboring monkeys, slowly building trust day by day,” the organization wrote. “He has discovered a growing list of favorite foods (grapes topping the list!) and has even begun vocalizing, a good sign that he is becoming more comfortable and confident in his new surroundings.”
Lisa Jones-Engel, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) senior science advisor on primate experimentation, told Fox News Digital Forrest’s survival is “a rare thread of mercy in a system built on violence.”
“Every federal agency and laboratory needs to confront a simple truth: No monkey should need a truck crash to escape a terrible fate,” Jones-Engel wrote in a statement. “After the crash, seven were shot dead and 13 were sent on to the same miserable lives and deaths that awaited them before the wreck. Only one survived long enough to be pulled out of the pipeline— a young macaque now called Forrest. His survival is a rare thread of mercy in a system built on violence. The way to prevent this horror in the future is to shut the industry down immediately.”
The research monkeys were aboard a truck that crashed Oct. 28 in Mississippi. (Jasper County Sheriff’s Department, Mississippi)
MISSISSIPPI MOM SAYS SHE SHOT AND KILLED AT-LARGE MONKEY TO PROTECT HER CHILDREN
Fox News Digital previously reported the monkeys came from the Tulane National Primate Research Center, which receives funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Tulane officials said they did not own the monkeys and were not responsible for their transport.
Following the incident, PETA and nonprofit organization White Coat Waste Project called on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to halt NIH funding for the expensive and morally controversial primate testing.
The CDC later agreed to phase out all experiments on monkeys.
People in protective clothing search along a highway in Heidelberg, Miss., Oct. 29, near the site of an overturned truck that was carrying research monkeys. (AP Photo/Sophie Bates)
“Champagne corks are popping inside PETA’s headquarters today as it celebrates a tremendous victory for animals and for science,” PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo wrote in a statement to Fox News Digital after the announcement. “PETA thanks the administration for taking this decisive, long awaited action — one we’ve pressed for nonstop and that reflects what the undeniable evidence that experiments on monkeys aren’t helping humans one iota, as the four-decade failed effort to create a marketable HIV vaccine has shown.”
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Guillermo added that, for years, endangered and often infected long-tailed macaques have been funneled into U.S. laboratories.
“CDC’s own data shows monkeys arriving with tuberculosis, melioidosis and other pathogens, weak testing protocols and a supply chain riddled with escapes, disease lapses and regulatory failures,” she said. “PETA is calling on the administration to build on this breakthrough: Shut down the primate centers, end the monkey-import pipeline and move every federal agency toward state-of-the-art, human-relevant science.”
The CDC did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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This story will be updated.
The Maine Department of Transportation is moving to slash up to $400 million in projects from its agenda, a shocking and abrupt cutback that is rattling the state’s construction industry at the start of building season.
Roughly $50 million across six pavement projects have already been delayed, according to a memo exclusively obtained by the Bangor Daily News. The agency plans to cut or delay another $150 million in bridge, highway, intersection and multimodal projects later this month. A further $200 million or more in cuts are planned in the next three-year work plan.
Those figures were outlined by Transportation Commissioner Dale Doughty in the May 18 memo to Gov. Janet Mills that has since circulated widely in the transportation sector, which has been getting drip-by-drip details on the wide scope of the cuts over the past three weeks.
It comes at the beginning of the state’s relatively narrow construction season. Companies have hired workers and ordered materials for projects they expected to begin this summer. The severity of the transportation budget problems was not raised to lawmakers during the 2026 legislative session.
Kelly Flagg, executive director of the Associated General Contractors of Maine, called the shortfall “deeply troubling” in a statement.
“We stand ready to work with policymakers, stakeholders, and industry partners to identify both immediate and long-term solutions,” Flagg said. “Maine cannot afford to fall further behind.”
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The cuts stem from a structural funding gap of at least $130 million in the state’s current work plan, according to Doughty’s memo. Losses are magnified because state money from the gas tax and other revenue sources is matched by federal funds. Lawmakers have long grappled with politically difficult long-term problems with the state’s transportation budget.
A Mills spokesperson said Wednesday morning that the administration was working on a response to questions from the BDN. The department says it needs roughly $240 million more in state capital funding annually to maintain the existing system, and that anything less than $200 million will erode it over time.
Doughty’s memo the only near-term solution is a series of bonds beginning as soon as possible. Lawmakers would have to return to Augusta to authorize that if one is going to appear on the November ballot.
BOSTON, MA — An international restaurant group with locations across the globe is preparing to open its first Massachusetts restaurant this year.
LPM Restaurant & Bar, a French Riviera-inspired restaurant founded in London, is set to open on the second floor of the Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street in Back Bay, according to Four Seasons. The hotel lists the restaurant as “Opening Summer 2026,” while the Boston Business Journal reported the restaurant plans to open in September.
The Boston restaurant will mark LPM’s debut in the Northeast and its third U.S. outpost, following locations in Miami and Las Vegas, according to a Four Seasons announcement.
LPM, also known as La Petite Maison, was founded in London in 2007 and is known for French-Mediterranean food, Mediterranean ingredients and dining rooms influenced by Belle Époque design.
The business operates locations in London, Dubai, Miami, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Riyadh, Limassol, Doha, Mykonos, Kuwait, Boston, Maldives and Bangkok.
Four Seasons said LPM will take over the space that formerly housed One Dalton’s breakfast concept, One + One. The restaurant will join other dining options at the hotel, including Zuma and Trifecta.
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New England Travel
These hikes are full of history, wildlife, and gorgeous views.
Hiking trails are full of history, beauty, and wildlife, but with so many options, it can be hard to choose your next path.
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Car camping is trending this season, according to Hipcamp
The following are 12 great hikes recommended by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR), Mass Audubon North Shore, Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC), and the Appalachian Mountain Club.
Massachusetts
Skyline Loop Trail in Blue Hills Reservation in Milton
The 2.64-mile Skyline Loop Trail in the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton gives hikers a taste of the longer, nine-mile Skyline Trail. The loop takes hikers over five hills, including Hancock Hill, which was once the farm of John Hancock of Declaration of Independence fame and the first independent governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
There is a tower built by the Civilian Corp of Engineers during the Great Depression, and hikers can look out over Boston and the Harbor Islands
Cedar Swamp Trail in Douglas State Forest in Douglas
As hikers experience the Cedar Swamp Trail, a .5-mile hike, the environment changes from a typical New England mixed hardwood forest into a cedar swamp as Atlantic white cedar and hemlock trees replace oak, maple, birch, beech, and ash.
“The thick growth of these evergreens allows little light to reach the forest floor,” according to DCR. “Keep an eye out for the unique foliage native to the swamp like sphagnum or ‘peat’ moss, skunk cabbage and cinnamon ferns, as well as the wildlife that calls the swamp home.”
Robert Frost Trail in Mount Holyoke Range State Park in Amherst
Fans of Robert Frost can experience nature through the writer’s eyes on this 4-mile hike on the Robert Frost Trail that honors the iconic poet’s Massachusetts connection. Frost spent part of his life in Massachusetts, teaching English at nearby Amherst College.
Hikers can look for a hidden pool and a fork in the road while exploring the interpretive trail, DCR noted, which is an easy to moderate hike.
Read more about these state park hikes: 3 beautiful hikes at Massachusetts State Parks
Rockery Trail at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield
For a unique, family-friendly hike involving rocks, head to the Rockery Trail at Ispwich River Wildlife Sanctuary, according to the Mass Audubon North Shore.
The 1/2-mile trail, the most popular hike at the sanctuary, includes boardwalks and features a rockery built by Thomas Emerson Proctor in 1905. You can climb the large stone structure and also walk through the little tunnel underneath. The wide easy trail is great for all ages.
Professor Chandler’s Long Walk at Rough Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary in Rowley
Hikers enjoy panoramic views at Rough Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary, which includes the scenic Professor Chandler’s Long Walk. The .65-mile easy trail takes hikers out into the Great Marsh, the largest salt marsh in New England, and is great for bird watchers.
The trail is named after Professor Alfred D. Chandler, Jr., who donated much of the land.
Woodland Loop at Cedar Pond Wildlife Sanctuary in Wenham
The Woodland Loop trail is a universally accessible trail at Cedar Pond Wildlife Sanctuary. The .9-mile trail offers a loop through deciduous and pine forest and opens up to a small meadow at the midpoint.
These All Persons Trails are ADA compliant and include universally accessible interpretive features. Visitors can expect handrails, braille and tactile features, wildlife viewing boardwalks and platforms, audio tour stops, seating, and more, according to Mass Audubon.
Read more about these North Shore trails: 3 beautiful hikes on the North Shore
The Meadow Loop Trail in Great Barrington
Animals lovers will love the accessible half-mile Meadow Loop Trail in the 267-acre Thomas & Palmer Brook Reserve, according to the Berkshire Natural Resources Council. The path, conveniently close to downtown Great Barrington, has excellent wetland and meadow views with benches for resting and taking in the scenery. The trail is also great for beaver watching.
For those who want to keep hiking, the trail connects to the 0.6-mile Woodland Trail and 0.3-mile Whale Rock Trail, both moderate.
Mahanna Cobble Trail in Pittsfield
Those looking for a challenge can tackle the 2.8-mile roundtrip trek on the Mahanna Cobble Trail.
The trail starts at Bosquet Mountain ski area, where hikers climb a beginner-level ski slope before getting into the forest. Hikers are rewarded with views of Kennedy Park, Mass Audobon’s Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, and Yukon Ridge.
Sunset Rock Trail in North Adams
Hikers who tackle the easy 1.6-mile roundtrip Sunset Rock Trail at Hoosic Range Reserve later in the day can take in the Taconic Ridge and Green Mountains and it’s a great place to view the sunset.
For hikers seeking even more great views in the 944-acre reserve, continue on for 3 miles along the Hoosic Range Trail. This trail is considered difficult because of its length, and the 6-mile roundtrip hike is a gradual climb.
Read more about these Berkshires hikes: 3 beautiful hikes in the Berkshires
New Hampshire
Arethusa Falls Trail in Hart’s Location
Hikers on the Arethusa Falls Trail in Crawford Notch State Park are in a for a real treat, according to the Appalachian Mountain Club: New Hampshire’s highest waterfall. It’s a 1.3-mile moderate hike to the near 200-foot waterfall. Once at the waterfall, folks can hike down to the bottom and sit and dip their feet in the water.
The falls were discovered by Edward Tuckerman in 1875, according to visitwhitemountains.com, who named it after a nymph in Greek mythology that turned into a fountain.
Zealand Trail in Bethlehem
Zealand Trail connects to the Appalachian Trail, and hikers get to experience a short section of it before it goes out to Zealand falls. It’s about 2 1/2 miles to the falls.
The Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Maine to Georgia, is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, and the New Hampshire portion offers more miles above the treeline than any other state on the trail, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
There is also an AMC Zealand Falls Hut on the trail, where hikers can stay overnight with a reservation.
Mount Willard Trail in Hart’s Location
Mount Willard’s elevation is 2,865 feet, and the summit is located in Crawford Notch State Park. It is a 1.6-mile moderate hike up to the summit, and hikers follow an old carriage road.
Folks start out at the top of Crawford Notch and hike along forests and along a stream, and there’s a tiny waterfall and an area called the Centennial Pool. Hikers can see the southern end of the Presidential Range, Crawford Notch, Mount Tom, and Mount Willey.
Read more about these hikes in the White Mountains: 3 beautiful hikes in the White Mountains
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