YEMASSEE, S.C. (WCSC) – Yemassee Police have confirmed that nearly four dozen primates that escaped from a Beaufort County research facility have been located, but not yet recaptured.

Police received a report around 1 pm on Wednesday. that a group of rhesus macaque monkeys escaped from their enclosures at the Alpha Genesis Research Center. The facility, located on Castle Hall Road, is just minutes from the small town of Yemassee.

Police say teams from Alpha Genesis are working to catch them with food.

“It’s really just a wait and it’s frustrating because we would like to have them back sooner or later. You can’t chase them because they scatter. This way, they should stay in the same area and we should see some return,” says Greg Westergaard, CEO of Alpha Genesis.

The herd consists exclusively of young females weighing between 6 and 7 pounds each. Alpha Genesis reports that none of these animals have been used in tests and are “too young” to carry diseases.

“It was 100% due to human error. The caretaker who normally cares for these monkeys entered the enclosure and did not secure two doors behind her,” says Westergaard.

Business owners and longtime Yemassee neighbors say an escaped monkey is no surprise and many are accustomed to the facility being nearby.

“That was the surprise, the number. We’ve seen one or two even on the side of the road before, but we’ve never heard of so many getting loose,” says Charlotte Murray, owner of Lowcountry Living Room.

“Crazy, someone must have left the door open or something, I don’t know. Everyone in Yemassee has been talking about it all day today,” says Jay Cook, owner of Jerry’s Tow and Garage. “We know that road as Monkey Farm Road.”

The Alpha Genesis website states that its research uses “specific pathogen-free” primate models.

The facility faced violations from the United States Department of Agriculture, including a warning filed in 2022 and a fine in 2017. The 2022 notice states that the center violated guidelines for the housing, handling and veterinary care of primates.

The 2017 report comes from a document published by the animal rights group Stop Animal Exploitation Now, which reported a $12,600 fine for violations of the Animal Welfare Act. Two of those violations included failing to secure the primates.

Previously, we reported that Alpha Genesis had not seen a major critical breach. However, after further review, the center received a note from the USDA in 2023. was related. The violation was related to inadequate care of the enclosures, which could have negative impacts on the health of the primates.

An expert on primate experimentation from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued a statement, stating that the facility’s recent actions “put the public at risk and do not systematically improve human health.”

“They breed, import, sell and experiment with monkeys. They are generally macaques. Alpha Genesis has about 6,000 macaques in its colonies,” says Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel. “They are afraid, they are hungry, they are cold and they are wet. I mean it was raining last night. “They are trying to go as far as they can.”

Since 2022, Alpha Genesis has not had another notable “critical” breach.

South Carolina Congressional District 1 Representative Nancy Mace issued the following statement in a publish in X:

We are diligently gathering all relevant information to keep our constituents informed about the recent primate escape from Alpha Genesis Inc. in Beaufort County. Our office has been in direct communication with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and is working closely with their team to monitor and evaluate the situation. We are withholding any formal statements until we have a full understanding of all the facts. Stay tuned…

Police and officers are asking the public to stay away from the Castle Hall Road facility area because the monkeys are skittish and any additional noise or movement could prevent them from being recaptured.

Authorities say anyone who spots one of the monkeys should not approach the animal and should immediately call 911.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.