Picture: stock
US officials are busy trying to recapture 43 rhesus monkeys who escaped from a primate research facility South Carolina on Thursday (local time).
They escaped from an Alpha Genesis facility in Yemassee, a small town about 26 miles from Beaufort, Yemassee Police Department said in a post on Facebook.
The company’s website says it conducts research projects for government, university, and private industry clients with cynomolgus, rhesus, and capuchin monkeys.
In an update from the police department, Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard told media that the monkeys escaped after a caretaker failed to secure a door.
“The primates are described as very young females weighing approximately 6-7lbs and the animals have never been used for testing due to their young age and size,” a police department update read.
A spokesperson for Alpha Genesis confirmed that these animals are too young to carry disease, it added.
Police believe the monkeys are in wooded region that surrounds the facility and officers are using thermal imaging cameras in an attempt to locate the animals. Traps have also been set.
“Staff at Alpha Genesis are trying to entice the animals back with food to ensure their safe capture,” the post says.
The police department urges residents who see or encounter one of these animals to contact the US emergency helpline immediately and not to approach or interact with them.
“These animals are highly sensitive and easily startled; we recommend that the public to avoid the area to prevent frightening them further,” the post reads.
“The public is advised to avoid the area as these animals are described at skittish and any additional noise or movement could hinder their safe capture.”
Residents are urged to keep their doors and windows securely closed and to report any sightings immediately.
“Please do not attempt to approach these animals under any circumstances,” the police post reads.
