It sounds like something straight out of a movie, but it’s all too real: 43 young monkeys have managed to escape from a research facility in South Carolina, prompting a police search across Yemassee in Beaufort County. These rhesus macaques, described by the company as “very young females,” broke free from Alpha Genesis—a facility known for its work with primates in bio-research.
On the surface, this might seem like a quirky story, but make no mistake: officials are taking this situation very seriously. Alpha Genesis has assured the public that these young monkeys are “too young to carry disease” and have never been used in testing, so the health risk to the public remains low. But young or not, macaques can be clever and fast, making recapture no small task.
Local police are working with the facility to safely bring the animals back. “Alpha Genesis currently have eyes on the primates and are working to entice them with food,” officials stated Thursday afternoon, adding that traps and even thermal imaging cameras have been deployed to locate and safely capture the monkeys. In the meantime, the Yemassee Sheriff’s Department is urging residents to keep doors and windows securely closed, as a loose monkey can be far more mischievous than one might expect.
A police search is underway after 43 monkeys escaped from a research facility in South Carolina on Wednesday night. https://t.co/WKOk8Z5Chn
— NBC4 Washington (@nbcwashington) November 7, 2024
And while this sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime incident, locals might remember that it’s far from the first time primates have escaped from Alpha Genesis. Earlier this year, a few monkeys managed to evade security, and back in 2016, 19 monkeys broke free from the same facility, causing quite the stir before they were rounded up six hours later. In fact, Alpha Genesis manages a massive colony of 3,500 monkeys on Morgan Island, commonly known as “Monkey Island.” This remote, monkey-only colony off the coast of South Carolina is part of a federal contract, illustrating the scale of the company’s primate operations.
But it isn’t just South Carolina where monkey mishaps have taken place. In 2022, three monkeys made a daring escape in rural Pennsylvania after a traffic accident involving a transport truck. The incident drew national attention, sparking everything from concern to jokes about monkeys on the loose.
40-43 rhesus monkeys have escaped from a lab. In South Carolina.
1. How do they not know the exact number.
2. What were they being used for in the lab?pic.twitter.com/HX0In2zAro— AusPolHotTakes (@AusTakes) November 7, 2024
For now, residents are being told not to approach the monkeys if spotted but to call 911 instead. With traps set, police and facility staff hope to bring the young primates back into custody swiftly. Alpha Genesis has yet to comment publicly, but as officials work to wrap up this unusual operation, it’s clear that both the facility and the surrounding community are ready for this monkey business to come to an end.
