43 monkeys escape from South Carolina research facility

CNN
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Residents of a small South Carolina town are in the middle of a real-life game of Jumanji after 43 monkeys escaped from a research facility on Wednesday.

Rhesus macaque primates are all still at large after escaping Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center at Yemassee, City Administrator Matthew Garnes said late Thursday morning.

“Residents are strongly advised to keep doors and windows secured to prevent these animals from entering their homes,” the Yemassee Police Department said in a Facebook post.

In an update shortly before noon, police said Alpha Genesis had eyes on the monkeys and was trying to lure them with food.

Police advised those who come across the missing monkeys to refrain from interacting with them and immediately call 911. The young primates — all female and between 6 and 7 pounds — have never been used for testing and are too young to carry disease, police said.

“They are described as being very skittish and will gather in groups,” Garnes said. The monkeys are non-violent but can become restless due to hunger, he said.

Traps to catch the animals have been put on the run and the police department used thermal imaging cameras to locate them. The police were works closely with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and state agriculture and wildlife officials.

CNN has reached out to Alpha Genesis for comment.

The Alpha Genesis testing facility specializes in non-human primate research for the biomedical research community. It is one of the largest primate facilities in the country designed specifically for monkeys, with over 100 acres of land for research and breeding purposes, according to its website.

This isn’t South Carolina’s first rodeo with monkeys on the loose. It was reported by The Post and Courier in Beaufort County that 19 monkeys escaped from the same facility in 2016, but were returned after six hours.

This is a developing story and will be updated.