By Ndujihe Clifford Chiebuka
A mass escape of 43 rhesus macaques occurred at an Alpha Genesis research facility in Beaufort County, South Carolina, prompting authorities to issue warnings and deploy traps.
Details:
- The monkeys, weighing 6-7 pounds, were young females not used for testing due to their age.
- A caretaker accidentally left an enclosure door unsecured, allowing the group to break free.
- Authorities assure no health risk, citing low disease transmission risk if humans avoid contact.
- Traps with food are set to lure the monkeys back; none recaptured as of Thursday afternoon.
Background:
- Alpha Genesis breeds monkeys for research and conducts clinical trials for brain disorders.
- The facility manages 3,500 rhesus macaques on Morgan Island, also known as “Monkey Island.”
- This is not the first escape; 19 monkeys escaped in 2016 and were recaptured within six hours.
Residents are advised to secure doors and windows and report sightings to 911.
Source: The Nation
