Authorities are actively searching for 43 monkeys that escaped from a scientific facility in South Carolina on Wednesday, as officials noted that the incident was due to staff failing to secure a door properly.
The Yamassee police department in Beaufort County confirmed that the monkeys are believed to be roaming in the forested region around the Alpha Genesis facility, which is located in a rural setting outside Yamassee.
Residents in the vicinity are advised to secure their homes by locking all windows and doors, refrain from approaching the monkeys, and promptly call 911 if they see any of the escaped animals. Police emphasized that “These creatures can be very sensitive and easily startled, hence we encourage the public to avoid the area to reduce further distress,” they stated.
In an official release, police noted that “staff at Alpha Genesis are currently trying to entrap the monkeys using bait in a safe manner.”
The facility is optimistic that a trap loaded with apples will successfully attract the monkeys.
As of Thursday, police reported that one of the escaped animals is a young female, weighing between 6 to 7 pounds. While the facility indicated that these young animals are not prone to diseases, it remains unclear whether this implies they cannot spread diseases or simply have not yet been involved in clinical trials.
“The incident that occurred yesterday involved the cleaning and feeding of a new enclosure,” explained Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard in an email to NBC News. “It was the result of a janitor not securing two separate doors. This was purely human error.”
This is not the first such incident at Alpha Genesis; records from the USDA reveal that there were 11 escape attempts in 2022. Westergaard mentioned the monkeys found a gap in the wire mesh but did not exit the premises and were captured quickly.
Alpha Genesis conducts various medical research activities, working with numerous clients to address a wide range of medical issues, including neurological diseases. The company has a federal contract to maintain a colony of 3,500 monkeys on Morgan Island, referred to as Monkey Island, located off South Carolina’s coast.
Meanwhile, animal rights advocates have raised alarms regarding the ethical implications surrounding the extensive use of primates in medical research.
Kathleen Conley, the vice president of animal research initiatives at the American Humane Society, a nonprofit based in Washington, has previously advocated against such experiments, emphasizing that these intelligent and social animals deserve protection rather than exploitation. “Congress has opted against further investments in primate research infrastructure, opting instead for ethical alternatives that are more humane and cost-effective for taxpayers,” she stated.
Lisa Jones Engel, a primate scientist with PETA, voiced her concerns too, claiming, “The monkey experimentation sector has repeatedly failed to enhance human health, while their actions continue to jeopardize public safety,” she stated.
