One of 43 monkeys that escaped from a research center in South Carolina was captured Saturday, but the others remain at large, officials said.
Dozens of rhesus monkeys escaped on Wednesday after a ranger at the Alpha Genesis Research Center failed to lock the door behind him after feeding 50 monkeys and cleaning their enclosure.
Police in Yemassee, about 60 miles west of Charleston, say on facebook While Alpha Genesis recovered only one monkey on Saturday, many others did not stray far and remained near the research center. It is unclear where the monkey was captured.
Police said some of the escapees were interacting with companions staying at the research center through fences.
The Facebook post quoted Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard as saying, “The recovery process has been slow, but the team is committed to taking as much time as possible to safely recover all remaining animals.”
Alpha Genesis houses approximately 7,000 primates for use in biomedical research and other scientific research.
Police are warning the public not to approach the animals or get too close to the research centre, which is set on 100 acres of wooded areas and some of the monkeys have been spotted in the trees.
The Facebook post also urged residents not to fly drones in the area.
“A recent drone incident left the primates frightened, which not only increased their stress but also complicated their safe return,” the post said.
Alpha Genesis said the animals do not pose a risk to public health because they are too small to carry disease.
The town’s police chief, Gregory Alexander, said that although the monkeys are timid, they are unlikely to become aggressive towards humans. Each weighs six to seven pounds.
The research center is using humane traps and fresh fruits and vegetables to bait the monkeys, which is an effective bait because domestic animals have difficulty finding food in the wild. Police said several escapees entered the trap, but not deep enough for the door to close.
The town’s 2,200 residents were asked to keep their doors and windows closed and to call the police if they spotted a monkey.
This isn’t the first time the town has dealt with an escaped monkey from Alpha Genesis.
In 2014, 26 monkeys escaped and were recaptured Within two days. In 2017, the company was fined $12,600 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for that incident and other failures to contain the animals.
