Fri Nov 08 09:02:22 UTC 2024: ## 43 Monkeys Escape From Research Lab in South Carolina, No Danger to Public
**Yemassee, SC** – Over 40 monkeys escaped from a research facility in Yemassee, South Carolina, on Wednesday after an employee failed to properly secure their enclosure. The escaped primates, all female rhesus macaques weighing approximately 6.6 pounds, are considered harmless and pose “almost no danger to the public,” according to local police.
The monkeys, too young and small to be used for testing, are not infected with any diseases, emphasized Yemassee Police Chief Gregory Alexander. He urged residents to keep their doors and windows closed, report any sightings, and refrain from approaching the animals.
Alpha Genesis, the research facility, is using traps and thermal imaging cameras to recapture the monkeys. “The handlers know them well and usually can get them back with fruit or a little treat,” said Chief Alexander.
This is not the first escape from the facility. In 2018, Alpha Genesis was fined $12,600 for a similar incident.
The group Stop Animal Exploitation Now has called for an investigation into the facility, citing concerns about animal safety and the potential risk to the public. “The clear carelessness which allowed these 40 monkeys to escape endangered not only the safety of the animals, but also put the residents of South Carolina at risk,” stated Michael Budkie, the group’s executive director.
Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard remains hopeful that the monkeys will return on their own, noting that they tend to follow each other. “It’s really like follow-the-leader. You see one go and the others go,” he said.
First Piper 