The Ongoing Escape Saga of South Carolina's Research Monkeys Continues
The Ongoing Escape Saga of South Carolina's Research Monkeys Continues
Authorities in the area confirm that a significant number of escaped primates are still active beyond a South Carolina facility associated with "brain disorder studies." The situation might seem straight out of a dark sci-fi story, but these lab monkeys pose no significant health risk to the public, as reported by the facility administrators to the authorities.
The Yemassee Police Department in South Carolina advises the public to steer clear of the vicinity where around 30 young rhesus macaques escaped recently. From the initial 43 reported escapes by the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center—often referred to as the "monkey farm" by locals—18 are still at large around the South Carolina coast, as mentioned in a post on the department's Facebook page. The police recommend residents to ensure their homes are locked tight to prevent the primates from entering.
The escaped macaques reportedly consist solely of females, weigh around six pounds, and were too young for any research purposes. They've been on the loose since around 1 p.m. ET on November 6, and a sizable group remains active adjacent to the fence line, sleeping in the trees for the night, according to the Facebook update.
The CEO of Alpha Genesis, Greg Westergaard, attributed the escape to "unintended human error," explaining that it happened when a caretaker performing routine cleaning and feeding duties inadvertently left two doors unlocked, as reported to NBC last week.
In an effort to discourage interaction with the primates, police advised the public to "STAY AWAY FROM FLYING DRONES" in the area, given that one apparently agitated the monkeys last week, complicating the capture process. The captured primates have been reported to be in "excellent condition," according to the police.
Citing one comment on the local police department's Facebook page, Westergaard stated, "She's doing fine and enjoying a peanut butter and jelly sandwich."
This isn't the first time this specific facility has encountered such an issue, as one user pointed out on the police department's Facebook page. "Keep running little primates," another user replied.
Alpha Genesis, which claims to offer "top-notch and affordable primate research," has faced numerous escapes over the past decade and incurred thousands of dollars in fines from the Department of Agriculture, according to the local newspaper, the Post and Courier.
Alpha Genesis also manages a federally funded research facility on Morgan Island, affectionately dubbed "Monkey Island" by locals. The site is home to thousands of primates, and is under constant scrutiny from "animal rights advocates" as well as South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace.
Representative Mace expressed her opinion on the issue, writing on X in January, "Taxpayers should not be compelled to spend $20 billion annually on unnecessary and cruel experiments involving dogs, cats, monkeys, and other animals."
The future of primate research in South Carolina could face scrutiny following these escapes, with calls for stricter safety measures from animal rights advocates and local politicians like Nancy Mace. The advancement of science and technology in studying brain disorders relies heavily on organizations like Alpha Genesis, but incidents like these raise questions about their ethical responsibilities.