No more monkey business!
More than half of the 43 monkeys that escaped a South Carolina research facility last week have been caught– with a “sizable group” of remaining primates being eyed nearby, authorities said Sunday.
The group of 25 Rhesus macaques recovered were examined by veterinarians who “have been diligently conducting thorough wellness exams,” and found the primates to be in good health, Yemassee police said in a statement.
The monkeys were bred for medical research and escaped unharmed from the Alpha Genesis facility in Yemassee.
25 monkeys have been recovered since the Alpha Genesis lab escape Wednesday. TNS
A view of the cages in the research facility where forty-three rhesus macaque monkeys escaped from in Yemassee, South Carolina, United States on November 8, 2024. Anadolu via Getty ImagesThe remaining rogue animals appear to be along the research center’s fence line, and had bedded down in nearby trees as of Sunday night, police added.
“The Alpha Genesis team is continuing its efforts and will continue until all animals are safely recovered,” police said in the statement, asking that “drones not be used in the vicinity,” where the animal rescue efforts are taking place.
The monkeys made their grand escape Wednesday after an employee at the Alpha Genesis facility in Yemassee didn’t fully lock a door as she fed and checked on them, officials said.
On Friday, they were exploring the outer fence of the Alpha Genesis compound and were cooing at the monkeys inside.
Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard relayed that efforts to recover all the animals will persist throughout the weekend and for as long as it takes, a police statement Saturday said after the first monkey was recovered.
The monkeys are females, weighing about 7 pounds, and are about the size of a cat.
The remaining monkeys, who are used for medical research, appear to be along the center’s fence as of Sunday night. Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center
Despite not posing a risk to public health, police urge locals to not interact with the monkeys. Anadolu via Getty ImagesAlpha Genesis, federal health officials, and police all said the monkeys pose no risk to public health and are too young to carry diseases.
Still— police are urging people to avoid interacting with the furry fugitives.
The research facility provides primates for research worldwide at its compound in Yemassee, about 50 miles northeast of Savannah, Georgia, according to its website.
In 2022, 11 monkeys escaped from the same research center through a broken chain link fence, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
with Post wires
