First, a raccoon was on the loose at a New York airport. Now, South Carolina has a lot of monkeys on the loose after they broke out of a research facility. It’s been a wild week, to say the least.
The Alpha Genesis research center in Yemasse specializes in researching primates—not so much containing them, apparently. This same center saw 19 monkeys flee in 2016 before they were later returned. Perhaps they need to take some time to research their security infrastructure.
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No, seriously, the local paper, The Post and Courier, led into their story on the escape with the best lede, “It happened again.” Seriously guys, what’s going at this facility? In 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Inspection determined five noncritical violations at the site regarding maintenance and cleaning, which were corrected but clearly not the only issues.
Anyhow, 43 female monkeys weighing about six pounds each are running wild in The Palmetto State. The prison break happened on Nov. 6 around one in the afternoon. They’re not believed to be a threat to the community, but the police issued a message suggesting otherwise.
“Residents are strongly advised to keep doors and windows secured to prevent these animals from entering homes,” the town’s police posted on Facebook, urging residents to contact 911 immediately if they spot one of the creatures. They’re also telling folks to not approach the monkeys, which seems obvious, but you know, people will do some unhinged things for the ‘gram.
In an effort to capture and return these primates, police have set up traps around the area and are using thermal imaging cameras to locate the monkeys before a Planet of the Apes situation becomes a reality.
As of this writing, none of the primates have been found. Run free, monkeys!
