43 Rhesus Monkeys Escape South Carolina's Alpha Genesis Facility; Residents Urged to Secure Homes

Nov 7, 2024, 05:54 PM

Authorities in Yemassee, South Carolina, are searching for 43 young, female rhesus macaque monkeys that escaped from the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center on Wednesday evening after an employee reportedly left a gate unlocked. The facility, located on Castle Hall Road in Beaufort County, specializes in biomedical research using primates bred on nearby Morgan Island. Residents have been advised to secure their doors and windows to prevent the monkeys from entering homes and are urged not to interact with them. Law enforcement agencies, including the Yemassee Police Department, are using traps and thermal imaging technology to locate the animals, but none have been captured so far. Officials have stated there is almost no danger to the public, but vigilance is encouraged as the search continues. This is not the first incident of primates escaping in the area; a similar event occurred in May 2016.