Authorities in Yemassee, South Carolina, are on high alert after 43 rhesus macaque monkeys escaped a local research facility on Wednesday, prompting safety warnings for residents to keep their doors and windows tightly shut.
The facility, Alpha Genesis, confirmed that all escaped monkeys are young females, too young to carry diseases, and none have been used for testing. Police described the monkeys as “skittish” and warned the public against approaching them.
Greg Westergaard, CEO of Alpha Genesis, explained the escape was due to a caretaker’s error in securing an enclosure door, allowing the curious primates to make a break for it.
Local search teams are working to coax the monkeys back with food, with Westergaard saying he’s “hoping for a happy ending” and that the monkeys might return on their own.