43 monkeys escape South Carolina research facility, prompting warnings to residents

YEMASSEE, S.C. – A troop of escaped monkeys from a South Carolina research facility has left residents on edge, prompting warnings to secure their homes.

Police in Yemassee said the town was thrown into an unexpected frenzy on Wednesday when 43 rhesus macaque monkeys escaped from the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center. 

These agile primates, known for their intelligence and serving an important role in medical and scientific research, vanished into the surrounding community as authorities scrambled to recapture them. As of Thursday, none have been located.

The primates are described as very young females weighing approximately 6-7 pounds. Due to their young age and size, the animals have never been used for testing. A spokesperson from Alpha Genesis confirmed to police that these monkeys are too young to carry disease.

“We want to assure the community that there is no health risk associated with these animals,” police said on social media.

FILE – A rhesus macaque monkey looks on from the quarantine room near Chartres, France.

(JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Now, local and state agencies have mobilized to contain the situation. Traps were strategically placed throughout the area, baited with enticing treats to lure the escaped monkeys. Police are also utilizing thermal imaging cameras.

“We’re working closely with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and state agricultural and wildlife officials to manage this incident effectively and humanely,” police said.

Police warned members of the public not to approach, touch or feed the monkeys, and to call 911 for any sightings.

Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center’s website states that it has “one of the largest and most comprehensive nonhuman primate facilities, designed specifically for monkeys, in the United States.” It also oversees a colony of more than 3,000 monkeys on Morgan Island, known as Monkey Island, off the South Carolina coast.