Authorities in South Carolina have reported that over half of the 43 monkeys that escaped from a research facility last week have been recaptured. The remaining primates are believed to be in the vicinity of the facility, according to a statement released by the Yemassee police on Sunday.
The 25 Rhesus macaques that have been recovered underwent thorough wellness examinations by veterinarians. The police statement confirmed that the primates were found to be in good health. The monkeys, bred for medical research, had escaped from the Alpha Genesis facility in Yemassee without any harm.
The escape occurred on Wednesday when an employee at the Alpha Genesis facility failed to secure a door while feeding and checking on the monkeys. Since then, 25 of the escaped monkeys have been successfully recaptured.
The remaining monkeys are believed to be near the research center’s fence line, having taken refuge in nearby trees as of Sunday night. The police have urged the public not to use drones in the area where the animal rescue efforts are ongoing.
Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard has assured that the efforts to recover all the animals will continue until each one is safely back in the facility. The escaped monkeys are all females, each weighing about 7 pounds and roughly the size of a cat.
Despite the assurance from Alpha Genesis, federal health officials, and the police that the monkeys pose no risk to public health and are too young to carry diseases, locals have been urged to avoid interacting with the primates.
Alpha Genesis is a research facility that provides primates for research worldwide. It is located in Yemassee, about 50 miles northeast of Savannah, Georgia. This is not the first time monkeys have escaped from the facility. In 2022, 11 monkeys managed to escape through a broken chain link fence, according to the US Department of Agriculture.