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4Monkeys escape from Alpha Genesis lab in Yemassee, South Carolina
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4Monkeys escape from Alpha Genesis lab in Yemassee, South Carolina

Cops are warning residents in rural South Carolina to close their doors and windows after at least 43 monkeys escaped from a bioresearch laboratory.

Rhesus macaques escaped Wednesday night from an Alpha Genesis facility in Yemassee, just off I-95 in the southern part of the state.

According to its website, the company provides “fundamental research and development support to the scientific community.”


At least 43 macaques escaped from the facility in South Carolina, police said.
At least 43 macaques escaped from the facility in South Carolina, police said. Yemassee Police Department

None of the escaped primates were caught until Thursday morning.

“We want to reassure the community that there are no health risks associated with these animals.” Yemassee Police Department said:.

Police and Alpha Genesis staff have “strategically” set traps around the area and are using thermal imaging cameras to track down the monkeys.

Residents are warned to “secure doors and windows to prevent these animals from entering homes,” according to police.

Residents were told not to approach the stray monkeys but instead call 911 and report any sightings.

Yemassee police said the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and state agriculture and wildlife officials worked with local law enforcement “to manage this incident effectively and humanely.”


The monkeys escaped from the Alpha Genesis facility in Yemassee, South Carolina.
The monkeys escaped from the Alpha Genesis facility in Yemassee, South Carolina. Google Maps

It is unclear how the primates managed to escape.

Alpha Genesis Inc. did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.

Rhesus macaques are originally from India and China and are known for their high intelligence. According to National Geographic.

Monkeys have a long history in human medical and scientific research, and they even preceded humans in going into space.

Yemassee is a small town of about 1,000 people in Beaufort and Hampton counties in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, about 50 miles northwest of Savannah, GA.