The South Carolina police chief says there’s “nearly no danger” for the public. Forty-three monkeys have escaped from an experimental compound.
They are not infected by any diseases. “They are harmless, but a bit skittish,” Yemassee Police Chief Gregory Alexander said on Thursday morning.
Alexander explained that the Rhesus Macaque Primates escaped Alpha Genesis on Wednesday because a new employee failed to fully close an enclosure.
Police said that the monkeys were females, weighing approximately 7 pounds (3 kg), and they were so small and young that they had not been used in testing.
Alpha Genesis employees are “currently keeping an eye on the primates” and working to attract them with food, police said in a press release issued at noon Thursday.
Alexander stated that the company normally handles escapes at the site. However, the monkeys escaped from the compound and walked about 1 mile (1.6 km) into downtown Yemassee.
Alexander, speaking to The Associated Press over the phone, said that “the handlers are familiar with them and can usually get them back by giving them fruit or a small treat.”
It will take more effort to capture these escaped monkeys. The chief of Alpha Genesis said that the company is leading the way, using thermal cameras and traps to capture the monkeys who are on the move.
Alexander stated that there was “nearly no danger” to the public.
The people living near the area should close their doors and windows so that the monkeys cannot hide in them. If they see any primates, they should call 911 to alert company officials or police.
According to its website, Alpha Genesis is a provider of primates for worldwide research at its compound located about 80 kilometers (50 miles) northeast of Savannah Georgia. A message asking the company about Wednesday’s escape was not answered.
Alpha Genesis was fined $12,600 by federal officials in 2018 after dozens of primates escaped. They also cited an incident where some monkeys went without water as well as other issues with the way they were housed.
Officials reported that 26 primates escaped the Yemassee facility in 2014, and another 19 in 2016.
Stop Animal Exploitation Now wrote to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, asking them to send an inspector immediately to Alpha Genesis’ facility to conduct a thorough inspection and to treat the company as a repeat violator. The group was responsible for the fine imposed on the company in 2018.
Michael Budkie, executive director of the organization, wrote in a letter on Thursday that “the clear carelessness” that allowed the 40 monkeys to escape put not only their safety at risk but also the safety of residents of South Carolina.
