No less than 43 primates have been on the unfastened Thursday in a South Carolina city the place authorities “strongly suggested” residents to maintain their doorways and home windows locked after the animals escaped from a analysis laboratory.
“At this level, none have been captured,” the Yemassee Police Division stated in a press release posted on its Fb web page.
Traps have been being set across the Alpha Genesis Primate Analysis Heart in Yemassee, the place the Rhesus Macaque monkeys escaped en masse round 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday, in response to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Workplace.
Forty-three rhesus macaque monkey escaped from the Alpha Genesis analysis lab Fort Corridor Highway in Yemassee, South Carolina, Nov. 07, 2024.
Yemassee Police Division by way of Meta
Yemassee cops have been trying to find the furry fugitives, which may develop to as much as 21 inches tall and weigh 17 kilos, utilizing thermal imaging cameras, in response to the sheriff’s workplace.
“Residents are strongly suggested to maintain doorways and home windows secured to forestall these animals from coming into houses,” the sheriff’s workplace stated. “Should you spot any of the escaped animals, please contact 911 instantly and chorus from approaching them.”
Police stated they’re working with employees of Alpha Genesis Primate Analysis Heart to search out the escapees.
“We wish to guarantee the group that there is no such thing as a well being danger related to these animals,” police stated.
Representatives of the Alpha Genesis Primate Analysis Heart couldn’t be instantly contacted for remark.
In response to its web site, Alpha Genesis “supplies the very best high quality nonhuman primate merchandise and bio-research providers world-wide,” together with serum, plasma, entire blood and tissue samples.
