43 monkeys escape from research facility in South Carolina

CNN
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Residents of a small South Carolina town are in the middle of a real-life game of Jumanji after 43 monkeys escaped from a research facility on Wednesday.

The rhesus macaque primates are all still at large after escaping from the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center in Yemassee, City Administrator Matthew Garnes said late Thursday morning.

“Residents are strongly encouraged to secure doors and windows to prevent these animals from entering their homes,” Yemassee police said in a Facebook post.

In an update shortly before noon, police said Alpha Genesis had its eye on the monkeys and was trying to lure them with food.

Police advised those who encounter the missing monkeys not to interact with them and to call 911 immediately. The young primates – all female and between 6 and 7 pounds – have never been used for testing and are too young to transmit disease, police said.

“They are described as very shy and gather in groups,” Garnes said. The monkeys are nonviolent but can become restless due to hunger, he said.

Traps were set to catch the animals as they fled, and police used thermal imaging cameras to find them. The police were works closely with the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office and state agriculture and wildlife agencies.

CNN has reached out to Alpha Genesis for comment.

The Alpha Genesis Test Facility specializes in non-human primate research for the biomedical research community. According to its website, it is one of the largest primate facilities in the country designed specifically for monkeys, with over 100 hectares of land dedicated to research and breeding purposes.

This isn't the first rodeo in South Carolina to feature free-roaming monkeys. The Post and Courier in Beaufort County reported that in 2016, 19 monkeys escaped from the same facility but were returned after six hours.

This is a developing story and will be updated.