Authorities in South Carolina have issued a warning to residents to secure their homes after 43 rhesus macaque monkeys escaped from a research facility in Beaufort County. The primates broke loose from the Alpha Genesis facility, and authorities have launched an extensive search operation using traps and thermal imaging cameras to locate the animals. As of Thursday afternoon, none of the escaped monkeys had been captured.
The monkeys, described as very young females weighing approximately 6-7 lbs, had never been used in testing due to their age. Police advised local residents to secure their doors and windows to prevent the monkeys from entering homes. “If you spot any of the escaped animals, please contact 911 immediately and do not attempt to approach them,” the Yemassee Police Department said in a statement.
Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard explained that a caretaker inadvertently left a door unsecured, allowing the monkeys to escape. “It’s really like follow-the-leader. You see one go and the others follow,” Westergaard said, noting that a group of 50 monkeys was housed in the enclosure, with seven remaining behind and 43 bolting out.
The company is working to lure the monkeys back using food and have set up “have-a-heart” traps to capture them. While some of the monkeys were spotted by a local land surveyor, police have reassured the public that there is no immediate health risk, as the monkeys are not known to pose a threat if left undisturbed.
The CDC has confirmed that the monkeys were previously living on Morgan Island, also known as “Monkey Island,” where they roamed freely before being brought to the Alpha Genesis facility for conditioning. The facility, which specializes in nonhuman primate breeding and biomedical research, is registered with the CDC for the importation and quarantine of nonhuman primates.
This incident marks the second time monkeys have escaped from Alpha Genesis in recent years. In 2016, 19 monkeys escaped from the same facility but were recaptured within hours. Authorities are hopeful the current escape will have a similar outcome.
- COVETED COIN: Rare coin ‘breaks world record’ selling for $2.52 million at auction – historic detail that ups its price tag - November 21, 2024
- Trump Stimulus Checks: Will You Receive One in 2024 or 2025? - November 21, 2024
- Social Security checks worth $4,873 automatically going out next week – with just three left this year - November 21, 2024
