Escape of Rhesus Monkeys at South Carolina Research Center
A caretaker at a research facility in South Carolina made a critical oversight on Wednesday while tending to an enclosure housing 50 rhesus monkeys. After completing her routine cleaning and feeding, she neglected to securely latch the double doors behind her. This oversight provided a rare opportunity for 43 adventurous monkeys, who eagerly bolted from their enclosure in a chaotic dash for freedom.
“It’s quite a sight — one monkey takes the plunge, and the rest follow suit in a frenzied rush,” remarked Greg Westergaard, the CEO of Alpha Genesis, the organization operating the research center.
As the monkeys made their escape, local officials in the nearby town of Yemassee, situated about 60 miles west of Charleston, quickly urged residents to ensure their doors and windows were closed. They also advised against any attempts to interact with the primates.
Gregory Alexander, the chief of police in Yemassee, reassured the community that the monkeys were unlikely to pose a threat to humans. “These are mostly very young females, each weighing under 10 pounds,” he explained. Furthermore, since the monkeys are too immature for clinical testing at the research facility, they do not carry any infectious diseases that could endanger people, according to Mr. Westergaard.
To facilitate the safe capture of the escapees, officials have set up traps baited with fresh fruits and vegetables. Given the monkeys’ domesticated background, they typically struggle to forage for food in the wild, making these traps likely to succeed, Mr. Alexander noted.
On Thursday, a small group of the escapees was spotted at the perimeter of the research center’s grounds, but attempts to recapture them have proven challenging.
Despite the unusual situation, local residents have largely remained unconcerned about the wandering monkeys. David Paul Murray, a member of the town council, remarked, “It’s not as if this is our first experience with escaped animals. The Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center, which spans approximately 100 acres and houses around 7,000 monkeys for scientific study, has seen its fair share of breakouts.”
This incident marks the largest escape of its kind in recent memory. Mr. Murray humorously noted that such occurrences have woven themselves into the town’s lore, with some locals even leaving food outside in hopes of enticing the monkeys. “We’re accustomed to the occasional monkey sighting. It’s not something that registers until you suddenly see one dart across the road and think, ‘Wait, what was that?’” he added.
Mr. Westergaard, however, disputed the notion that townspeople frequently encounter monkeys, suggesting that many sightings are mistakenly attributed to squirrels instead.
- In 2014, 26 macaques escaped but were recaptured within two days.
- A week later, another primate fled while being transferred to a medical clinic and vanished into the nearby woods.
- The following year, two macaques managed to escape from an outdoor enclosure; one was lured back inside, but the other sadly died shortly after its recapture.
- In 2016, nineteen monkeys scaled the 12-foot walls of their enclosure, using a protruding section as leverage, according to reports by The State newspaper.
The situation has raised concerns, leading the Department of Agriculture to fine the company over $12,000 in 2017, in part due to ongoing issues related to the containment of their animals.
