Authorities in Yemassee, South Carolina, are urging residents to stay indoors after 43 young female rhesus macaque monkeys escaped from the Alpha Genesis research facility.
Report Monkey Sightings
According to Greg Westergaard, the director of Alpha Genesis, the monkeys got loose due to an employee’s failure to secure a door properly.
The Yemassee Police Department has asked residents to keep doors and windows tightly closed and to report any sightings of the monkeys by calling 911.
“Do not approach these animals under any circumstances,” the police department posted on Facebook, explaining that the monkeys are skittish and human interactions may make them harder to capture.
The monkeys, each weighing around 2-3 kg (4-7 pounds), are believed to be roaming the wooded areas surrounding the facility, according to WP.
Due to their young age and size, the animals are not used in medical testing and, according to Alpha Genesis, are not carriers of diseases. Efforts are underway to lure them back using food, though rounding up such a large group presents logistical challenges.
Alpha Genesis is Accredited by AAALAC
Alpha Genesis, a U.S.-based research center, also houses other primates such as capuchins and crab-eating macaques.
The facility conducts research on vaccine development, drug therapies, virus pathogenesis, and experimental surgeries, supporting projects for government, academic, and private organizations.
The research aims to advance treatments and cures for diseases affecting human health.
The center has emphasized its compliance with high animal welfare standards, adhering to regulations set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Animal Welfare Act.
Alpha Genesis is also accredited by AAALAC (Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care).
Monkeys play a crucial role in medical research where other animals, such as rodents, cannot fulfill the complex requirements, especially in studies involving human-like disease models.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, vaccines were tested on macaques to assess immune responses. Similarly, research on HIV, malaria, and cancer treatments often relies on primate models due to the similarities in immune and metabolic functions.
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