Monkeys escape research facility in South Carolina

On Wednesday night, 43 monkeys broke out of a research facility in South Carolina, and police are working to find and round them up.
The primates escaped from an Alpha Genesis facility in Yemassee, per CBS.
As of Friday morning, all 43 monkeys are still loose, but authorities say a portion of the primates have been spotted in a wooded area near the facility.
Alpha Genesis did confirm that the loose monkeys are rhesus macaque primates.
According to NBC, authorities said they are all young females that weigh six to seven pounds, and they are too young to carry disease.
In a statement, the Yemassee Police Department said that “traps have been set up and thermal imaging cameras are being used in an effort to locate the fugitive monkeys,” per CBS.
The one-traps set up to catch the primates, contain apples that the company hopes will entice them.
Police have told residents that in order to prevent the monkeys from entering their homes, they should lock their doors and windows, per USA Today.
Police have also advised that if someone sees one of the monkeys, they shouldn’t approach them but they should immediately call 911.
In an update Thursday morning, police said, “We want to assure the community that there is no health risk associated with these animals,” per CBS.
According to NBC, the young primates were able to escape after two doors were left unsecured.
“The incident yesterday involved a new enclosure, and occurred because the caretaker who was doing routine cleaning and feeding failed to secure two separate doors. It was purely human error,” the CEO of Alpha Genesis, Greg Westergaard, wrote in an email to NBC.
This is not the first time the facility has had monkeys escape from it. In 2022 there were 11 that broke out. But that time the monkeys didn’t leave the property, so they were quickly recaptured.
According to its website, Alpha Genesis “provides the highest quality nonhuman primate products and bio-research services world-wide.”
Alpha Genesis’ “staff of veterinary technicians and animal specialists work with cynomolgus, rhesus and capuchin monkeys,” per CBS.
According to NBC, Alpha Genesis works with primates to conduct clinical trials, specifically on treatments for brain disease disorder, and has “one of the largest and most comprehensive nonhuman primate facilities, designed specifically for monkeys, in the United States.”
Alpha Genesis personnel are working with the police to recapture the monkeys.
It is unknown how the monkeys escaped from the facility or what trial the fugitive monkeys were a part of, per USA Today.