Over 40 monkeys have escaped in a small US town after breaking free from a research facility, prompting authorities to advise residents to keep their doors and windows shut.
The rhesus macaques, described by police in Yemassee, South Carolina, as “skittish,” reportedly escaped their enclosures a day prior from a facility operated by Alpha Genesis, which focuses on primate-based biomedical research.
Search teams have been mobilized to track down the monkeys and are “working to lure them with food,” according to the local police department’s social media updates.
“Residents are advised to keep their doors and windows securely closed and to report any sightings immediately by calling 911. Please do not attempt to approach these animals under any circumstances,” the statement read.
“A spokesperson from Alpha Genesis confirmed that these animals are too young to transmit disease,” it mentioned.
Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard expressed his frustration regarding the escape, telling CBS News that he is “hoping for a happy ending” with the primates returning on their own.
He explained that the escape occurred when a caretaker failed to secure a door at one of the enclosures.
“It’s really like follow-the-leader. You see one go, and the others follow,” Mr. Westergaard added.
