43 monkeys escaped from a research center: “citizens, keep doors and windows closed”

An unexpected event leak shook the small town of YemasseeSouth Carolina, where 43 young monkeysbelonging to the rhesus macaque species, have managed to escape from their enclosure at the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center.

The incident occurred on November 6, when a door to the enclosure was accidentally left open, allowing the primates to escape into the surrounding wooded area. The escaping monkeys, all female and still too young to be involved in experiments, are described as very fearful and difficult to approach.

Despite the apparent non-aggression, the police issued a warning to residents of the area, inviting them to keep doors and windows tightly closed to prevent monkeys from entering homes. Authorities explained that the primates, while not dangerous, could become more nervous and unpredictable if provoked or if they feel threatenedespecially due to hunger.

They also asked citizens to avoid the area around the research center and if spotted. The only correct action in the event of a sighting is to immediately contact 911.

It is not the first escape: another one occurred in 2016

Meanwhile, the Yemassee Police Department is working with the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center and other local agencies to catch animals. Traps have been set up to try to stop the escape, and staff at the research center are using infrared cameras to monitor the monkeys’ movements. For now, but the situation remains under close surveillance.

According to the center’s CEO, Greg Westergaard, the incident was frustrating, but they hope to resolve it quickly and safely. Unfortunately, however, it is not the first time that escapes from the center have occurred: a similar episode occurred in 2016, when 19 primates escaped from the facility only to be recovered after six hours.

Alpha Genesis is one of America’s premier primate research facilities, employed for biomedical experimentsbut these two events have put the spotlight on security issues within these centers.