More than 40 monkeys escaped from a bio-medical research lab in Beaufort County, South Carolina, on Wednesday afternoon after a caretaker accidentally failed to secure a door at an enclosure, allowing the primates to escape.
In a public service announcement on Thursday from the Yemassee Police Department, it said the police received an alert from Alpha Genesis Primate Research facility “regarding the escape of numerous Rhesus Macaque primates from their enclosures,” and police have warned citizens to lock their doors and windows.
“The number has since been confirmed to be 43,” the announcement read. “The primates are described as very young females weighing approximately 6-7lbs, the animals have never been used for testing due to their young age and size.”
“A spokesperson from Alpha Genesis can confirm that these animals are too young to carry disease,” the statement added. “The Yemassee Police Department, in collaboration with Alpha Genesis, have initiated search teams to help locate the escaped primates. Alpha Genesis currently have eyes on the primates and are working to entice them with food.”
“Residents are strongly advised to keep doors and windows secured to prevent these animals from entering homes,” police said in the statement. “If you spot any of the escaped animals, please contact 911 immediately and refrain from approaching them.”
Police Searching for 40 Escaped Monkeys After Mass Breakout from South Carolina Research Facility https://t.co/7NSNXkj58z
— People (@people) November 7, 2024
Greg Westergaard, CEO of Alpha Genesis, told CBS News that the monkey escape is “frustrating” and he is “hoping for a happy ending” with the primates returning of their own volition.
“It’s really like follow-the-leader,” Westergaard added. “You see one go and the others go. It was a group of 50 and 7 stayed behind and 43 bolted out the door.”
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“The public is advised to avoid the area as these animals are described at skittish and any additional noise or movement could hinder their safe capture,” the public service announcement read.
According to the Alpha Genesis facility website, it said that the lab breeds monkeys and provides “nonhuman primate products and bio-research services,” with a client base across the globe.
Past clinical trials include research on progressive brain disorders, according to the Outsourcing Pharma website.
Related: Monkeys Steal Baby Boy, Kill Him By Throwing Him Off Roof
