25 out of 43 escaped monkeys captured in South Carolina

COLUMBIA, South Carolina – Twenty-five of the 43 monkeys that escaped an enclosure at a South Carolina research centre were captured on Nov 9 and Nov 10 while the rest remain at large, officials said.

Dozens of rhesus macaques made a break for it

on Nov 6 after a caretaker at the research centre, Alpha Genesis, failed to latch the door behind her after feeding the 50 monkeys and cleaning their enclosure.

The police in Yemassee, about 96km west of Charleston, said on Facebook that 24 monkeys recovered on Nov 10 by Alpha Genesis.

One monkey was caught on Nov 9. It was not clear where the monkeys were captured.

Based on initial reports, veterinarians said the recovered monkeys were in good health, according to the Facebook post.

The police added that a large group of the escaped monkeys remain along the research centre’s fence line.

The Facebook post, quoting Mr Greg Westergaard, chief executive of Alpha Genesis, said the “recovery process is slow, but the team is committed to taking as much time as necessary to safely recover all remaining animals”.

Alpha Genesis houses about 7,000 primates for biomedical studies and other scientific research.

The police warned the public not to get near the animals or get too close to the research centre, which is on 40.5ha land and surrounded by woods where some of the monkeys have been spotted in trees.

The Facebook post also urged residents not to fly drones in the area.

“A recent incident involving a drone led to the primates becoming spooked, which not only increased their stress but also complicated efforts for their safe return,” the post said.

There is no risk to public health because the animals are too young to carry disease, according to Alpha Genesis.

Mr Gregory Alexander, the town’s police chief, said it was unlikely the monkeys would be aggressive towards humans, though they are skittish. Each weighs 2.7kg to 3kg.

The research centre is using humane traps with fresh fruit and vegetables to bait the monkeys, which is an effective lure because the domesticated animals are unable to easily find food in the wild.

A couple of the escapees entered the traps but did not go in far enough to make the doors close, the police said.

The town’s 2,200 residents have been asked to keep their doors and windows closed and to call the police if they spot a monkey.

This is not the first time the town has dealt with escaped monkeys from Alpha Genesis.

In 2014, 26 monkeys escaped and were recaptured within two days.

In 2017, the company was fined US$12,600 (S$17,000) by the US Department of Agriculture for that episode and other failures to contain the animals. NYTIMES