Jessica, the howler monkey, back in enclosure after health scare

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - One of the oldest residents at the Hattiesburg Zoo, Jessica, the howler monkey, is back in her enclosure after experiencing some health issues last week.

Jessica is 22 years old and has been a resident at the zoo for 20 years.

When zoo staff members noticed the decline in Jessica’s diet and energy, they ran some tests to determine the cause.

Those tests included a full-body CT scan, an echocardiogram and an ECG on her heart.

“She’s getting on up there, so (she may have) some age-related issues,” said Kristen Moore, an animal curator at the Hattiesburg Zoo. “We’ve got her on some medication that’s making her feel a little bit better, easing some of that pain that they get as they (get) older. She’s doing better, she’s eating normally again, which is probably the best news we could have hoped for, and we’re just sort of monitoring her day-to-day.”

Jessica is now back in her enclosure and reunited with her close friend, Frankie.

Want more WDAM 7 news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Copyright 2023 WDAM. All rights reserved.