There is chaos in a town in South Carolina after more than 40 monkeys got out of a nearby research center.
At 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, the Yemassee Police Department in Beaufort County was told that the monkeys had escaped from a facility run by Alpha Genesis.
Alpha Genesis is one of the biggest monkey breeders in the world and says it provides the “highest quality nonhuman primate products and bio-research services world-wide.”
But it looks like it is not the best security. It has been confirmed as of Thursday that 43 of these harmless little bad guys are still out there. None of them have been caught yet.
People have been told by the government to lock their doors and windows in case the monkeys try to sneak in. They told you not to approach them and not to pet them either.
On the Lam
The monkeys were first thought to be a different species, but they were later identified as rhesus macaques.
These monkeys are known for being very smart, social, and tame at a young age, which makes them perfect research subjects. People also say that the smart little devils are loud and lively, and that they get worse as they get older.
In case this sounds like the plot of “28 Days Later,” Alpha Genesis told the police that the macaques that were breaking in are too young to be sick.
“We want to assure the community that there is no health risk associated with these animals,” police said.
Because of their age and size, they have never been used for tests either. The police said all of them are young women who weigh between six and seven pounds.
Second Attempt
A report from the local newspaper The Post and Courier says this is not the first time monkeys have gotten out of the Alpha Genesis facility, which housed 6,700 primates as of May.
In 2016, 19 monkeys got away, but they were caught and brought back within six hours.
The company is setting up traps and feeding the animals to get them to come in.
At the same time, the police are helping by using thermal imaging cameras to find the creatures. It looks like they have a lot of work to do, but let us hope this mess does not end with the monkeys getting hurt or killed.
