43 monkeys escape a research facility in South Carolina, prompting warnings to residents

YEMASSEE, SC – A troop of escaped monkeys from a South Carolina research facility has left residents on edge and sparked warnings to secure their homes.

Police in Yemassee said the town was plunged into unexpected turmoil on Wednesday when 43 rhesus macaques escaped from the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center.

These agile primates, known for their intelligence and playing an important role in medical and scientific research, disappeared into the surrounding community as authorities scrambled to recapture them. None had been found as of Thursday.

The primates are described as very young females weighing around 6 to 7 pounds. Because of their young age and size, the animals were never used for testing. An Alpha Genesis spokesperson confirmed to police that these monkeys were too young to transmit disease.

“We would like to reassure the community that there is no health risk associated with these animals,” police said on social media.

FILE – A rhesus monkey watches from the quarantine room near Chartres, France.

(JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Now local and state authorities have mobilized to contain the situation. Traps were strategically placed throughout the area and filled with tempting treats to attract the escaped monkeys. The police also use thermal imaging cameras.

“We are working closely with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and state agriculture and wildlife agencies to effectively and humanely manage this incident,” police said.

Police warned the public not to approach, touch or feed the monkeys and to call 911 if there were any sightings.

The Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center's website states that it has “one of the largest and most comprehensive non-human primate facilities, specifically monkeys, in the United States.” It also oversees a colony of more than 3,000 monkeys on Morgan Island, known as Monkey Island, off the coast of South Carolina.