Officials in South Carolina have successfully recaptured the final four of 43 rhesus macaque monkeys that escaped from a local breeding facility two months ago. The escape occurred on November 6, 2024, when an employee inadvertently left their enclosure unsecured, allowing the monkeys to exit. The facility, known as Alpha Genesis, specializes in breeding these monkeys for medical research.
During their time in the wild, the monkeys lived primarily in the nearby woods and endured a rare snowstorm that brought up to three inches of snow to the region, marking the first snowfall in seven years. The recaptured monkeys, all female, were lured back into captivity with food, including peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and specially formulated high-protein "monkey biscuits."
Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard reported that the monkeys appeared to be in good health upon their recapture. Throughout the two-month period, local authorities, including police and private security teams, monitored the situation and employed humane traps to facilitate the safe return of the animals. It was emphasized by both the facility and public health officials that the monkeys posed no risk to public health during their time outside the compound.
The facility, located about a mile from downtown Yemassee and 50 miles northeast of Savannah, Georgia, has been breeding rhesus macaques for over a century, as these animals share approximately 93% of their DNA with humans, making them valuable for scientific research. The incident has drawn attention to the operational practices at the breeding facility, highlighting the importance of securing animal enclosures to prevent future escapes.