The escaped Rhesus macaques pose no public health risk according to facility officials and local authorities.
Officials announced Sunday that 24 of the 43 Rhesus macaques that escaped from a South Carolina medical research facility last week have been safely recovered.
The monkeys escaped from Alpha Genesis in Beaufort County on Wednesday when an employee failed to fully secure a door during routine feeding and health checks. The incident prompted immediate action from the Yemassee Police Department, which deployed “multiple officers collaborating with Alpha Genesis personnel to resolve this situation.”
“Traps have been set up around the area, and the Yemassee Police Department is currently on-site utilizing thermal imaging cameras in an attempt to locate the animals”, authorities said on Facebook.
Police advised residents to “keep doors and windows secured to prevent these animals from entering homes” and urged the public to “contact 911 immediately and refrain from approaching them” if any escaped monkeys are spotted.
The remaining primates have been observed exploring the facility’s outer fence line and interacting with monkeys still inside the compound, a behavior pattern that has assisted recovery efforts.
