South Carolina authorities launched a search operation on Thursday, November 7th, after approximately 43 monkeys escaped from the Alpha Genesis research facility in Yemassee. The primates, identified as rhesus macaques, managed to break free from the laboratory on Wednesday night. Local police and the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office are coordinating with Alpha Genesis personnel to recapture the animals using traps and thermal imaging cameras.
Residents in the rural area surrounding Yemassee, where the facility is located, have been advised to secure their homes by locking doors and windows. The Yemassee Police Department issued a public warning advising people not to approach the monkeys if they spot them but to contact 911 instead. Police emphasized that there is no health risk to the community associated with these escaped animals.
The Alpha Genesis facility is known for providing research support services using nonhuman primates, particularly for scientific and medical studies. The company has a large population of macaques, and previous incidents have occurred, including a case in 2016 when 19 monkeys escaped but were recaptured within hours. This current escape has raised questions about facility security, although it remains unclear how the primates managed to flee.
Assisting local authority officials from state agricultural and wildlife agencies are ensuring that humane methods are used in tracking and recapturing the animals. The collaboration aims to mitigate any potential disruption to the small Yemassee community, home to approximately 1,000 residents. This incident follows similar cases nationwide, including a 2022 escape of monkeys following a transport accident in Pennsylvania.
Alpha Genesis, which also operates a large primate colony on Morgan Island (often called “Monkey Island”), has yet to release an official statement regarding the escape. The company’s role in biomedical research highlights the importance of secure containment measures for research animals, particularly those as agile and intelligent as macaques, originally native to Asia.
At the time of reporting, none of the escaped monkeys had been recaptured, and authorities continue to monitor the area closely. Police and Alpha Genesis staff are maintaining active communication with residents, focusing on both public safety and the humane recapture of the animals involved.
