•Monkeys
Authorities in South Carolina issued a warning yesterday, urging residents to secure their doors and windows after over 40 monkeys escaped from a research facility.
The primates escaped from an Alpha Genesis facility in Beaufort County, prompting authorities to set up traps and deploy thermal imaging cameras to help locate them, according to a statement from the Yemassee Police Department.
In an update yesterday, police confirmed that 43 rhesus macaques had escaped, with none recaptured by early afternoon, reports AFP.
Authorities said the animals were “very young females, weighing approximately 6-7 pounds,” and had not been used for testing due to their age.
“Alpha Genesis has eyes on the primates and is working to entice them with food,” police said.
“Residents are strongly advised to secure doors and windows to prevent the monkeys from entering homes. If you see any of the escaped animals, please call 911 immediately and avoid approaching them.”
Greg Westergaard, CEO of Alpha Genesis, expressed frustration over the escape but remained hopeful that the monkeys would return on their own.
He explained that a caretaker accidentally left an enclosure door unsecured, allowing the group to break free.
“It’s really like follow-the-leader. One goes, and the others follow,” Westergaard said.
“There were 50 in the group, and 43 bolted, leaving 7 behind.”
“It’s unusual to have such a large group escape,” he added, noting that while individual escapes do happen from time to time, this was a rare event.
Westergaard said the facility is using “have-a-heart” traps designed to lure the monkeys with food, which then closes behind them, trapping the animals inside. “There’s some food in the woods, but no apples, which the monkeys really like,” he said.
“We’re hoping that will draw them back in the next day or two.”
Daniel Vance, a local land surveyor, told CBS News that he and a coworker spotted some of the escaped monkeys while taking a lunch break nearby on Wednesday. He even captured video footage of the primates.
The Yemassee Police Department assured the public that there is no health risk associated with the escaped monkeys, stating in an update yesterday, “We want to reassure the community that there is no danger.”
Alpha Genesis, which specializes in breeding monkeys for research, provides bio-research services globally. The company works with various species, including rhesus macaques, cynomolgus monkeys, and capuchins, and conducts clinical trials related to brain disorders.
The company also manages a colony of 3,500 rhesus macaques on South Carolina’s Morgan Island, also known as “Monkey Island.” These monkeys were originally imported in the 1970s for biomedical research.
Rhesus macaques are known for being bold, curious, and adaptable to environments near humans, according to the New England Primate Conservancy.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that the escaped monkeys had previously lived on Morgan Island as “free-range monkeys” before being brought to Alpha Genesis for conditioning to interact with humans.
The CDC noted that Alpha Genesis is registered as a nonhuman primate importer and must meet strict standards for the importation, quarantine, and use of such animals.
The CDC also assured the public that the risk of disease transmission remains low, as long as people do not attempt to approach or make contact with the monkeys.
This is not the first escape from the Alpha Genesis facility. In 2016, 19 monkeys escaped but were recaptured within six hours. Last year, a similar incident occurred in Pennsylvania when a truck carrying lab monkeys crashed, leading to dozens of monkeys escaping. All of the animals were later accounted for.
