After 43 rhesus monkeys escaped from South Carolina’s Alpha Genesis research facility, authorities advised residents to secure homes as efforts to recapture the primates continue. Police assured locals of low health risks, though the incident sparked both humor and criticism online over safety protocols and animal welfare.
Residents of Beaufort County, South Carolina, were urged to secure doors and windows after 43 monkeys escaped from the Alpha Genesis research facility in Yemassee. The monkeys, young female rhesus macaques weighing around 6-7 pounds each, broke free when a caretaker inadvertently left an enclosure door open. Officials used traps and thermal imaging cameras to locate the animals, who were spotted playing near the facility but evaded capture by grabbing food and retreating back to trees. CEO Greg Westergaard described the scene as “a playground situation,” with the monkeys playfully watching staff as they attempted to capture them.
Despite public concern, police reassured residents that the monkeys pose no health risks, though the CDC advised avoiding contact due to potential disease transmission. This incident marks Alpha Genesis’s second monkey escape; in 2016, 19 primates briefly fled before being recaptured.
The story prompted mixed reactions on social media. Many responses were lighthearted, with some users humorously envisioning the monkeys in a getaway car or portraying the escape as an animal-led “Outbreak” scenario. Others, however, criticized the lab’s handling of the situation, calling for stricter protocols to prevent similar incidents and expressing concerns over potential health risks.
While local officials continue efforts to safely capture the monkeys, online discussions reflect both amusement and serious concerns over the risks and ethics of primate research.
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