Federal inspectors have cited the University of Louisiana at Lafayette after 19 rhesus macaques died in freezing temperatures at its New Iberia Research Center, according to records released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The citations follow an inspection that found monkeys were left in outdoor enclosures for days without adequate protection, with temperatures dropping as low as 2 degrees Fahrenheit. Necropsy reports indicated that 13 of the 19 monkeys had underlying health conditions prior to exposure to extreme cold.
An inspection report documented that outdoor cages confining rhesus macaques lacked sufficient safeguards against extreme temperatures. The records were obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals…