43 monkey’s escape from South Carolina facility
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Monkeys bred for medical research escaped a compound at the Alpha Genesis facility in Yemassee, South Carolina.
On Wednesday, Nov. 6, 43 monkeys bred for medical research escaped a compound at the Alpha Genesis facility in Yemassee, South Carolina. While they could not be located for a few days, they were finally spotted in the woods near the medical site, and workers tried to use food to recapture them on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024.
The breed of monkeys is the Rhesus macaques, and they are typically used for research due to the rhesus factor, or Rh, discovered in their blood. It was then recognized in the 1940s that Rh is also in humans, which led scientists to realize that this finding could prevent “fatal immune reactions in blood transfusions and during pregnancy.” according to dpz.eu. Furthermore, due to the experimentation of this breed of monkeys, scientists were able to develop the polio vaccine in the 1950s. They are also only about the size of a cat and weigh about seven pounds.
Recently, because a worker did not lock their door correctly at the facility, the monkeys fled. Authorities have reported that the monkeys are not dangerous or infected with diseases. This statement, however, was followed by authorities' recommendation that “…people who live near the compound about one mile (1.6 kilometers) from downtown Yemassee shut their windows and doors and call 9-1-1 if they see the monkeys.” according to AP News.
This has not been the only escape of primates from the Yemassee facility. According to AP News, in 2018, the U.S. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) “fined Alpha Genesis $12,600 in part after officials said 26 primates escaped from the Yemassee facility in 2014 and an additional 19 got out in 2016. The company’s fine was also issued because of individual monkey escapes as well as the killing of one monkey by others when it was placed in the wrong social group.”
Since then, there have been many inspections by the USDA, and there have been some problems; many individuals have written to the USDA to inspect the facility. Per AP News, they state that in 2022, “federal veterinarians reported two animals died when their fingers were trapped in structures, and they were exposed to harsh weather. They also found cages weren’t adequately secure. Inspectors said criminal charges, civil penalties, or other sanctions could follow if the problems weren’t fixed.”
An inspection in 2023 found mold in the bins of some monkey cages, broken gates, food waste, and used medical supplies in some cages. As of May 2024, there were about 6,700 primates at the facility, and no issues were found.
As of Sunday, Nov. 10, 25 monkeys have been recovered, while 18 others are still on the loose, according to CBS News. Alpha Genesis CEO, Greg Westergaard confirmed to CBS News that the captured monkeys are, “safe and sound and in good health" and "having snacks right now." The other 18 monkeys are said to be close to the property and continue jumping over the fence and cooing at the other monkeys inside. Westergaard ensured that they would get them back into the facility, yet it may take a while because chasing the monkeys would spook them and enable them to run away.