40 primates escape from the Yemassee Monkey Farm in Beaufort, Hampton County

by Junna Base November 8, 2024

(This story has been updated with new information.)

YEMASSEE, SC – If you live in Hampton County, you know that there are many legends in the area about rogue, escaped primates at the “Yemassee Monkey Farm,” and many locals can’t drive past the facility without someone in the car Jokes: “Wanna.” Stop and say hello to your relatives?” “If you kids aren’t quiet back there, I’ll take you out of here with the other monkeys!”

But escaped monkeys are no joke in Hampton and Beaufort counties this week, as local police and city officials alert the public to about 40 primates that escaped from the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center on Wednesday evening.

Yemassee City Manager Matt Garnes told the Hampton County Guardian that the escape occurred around 9 p.m. Wednesday and news of the mischievous monkeys was posted shortly after on the Yemassee Police Department and Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Facebook pages be.

“These are the smaller breeds,” Garnes said. “We’re not talking about Caesar from the Planet of the Apes. But if you spot primates, do not approach them, do not attempt to interact with them or feed them.” Call 911.

The center houses approximately 5,000 monkeys from Africa, South America and the Caribbean at two locations. Species include marmosets, cynomolgus and rhesus macaques, African green macaques, and several New World species.

The primates escaped from the site on Castle Hall Road, which is in Beaufort County, but Alpha Genesis also has a site in Hampton County. Garnes added that YPD, BCSO and Alpha Genesis are working together to corral these strays.

YPD notified citizens Thursday morning that traps were set in the area and YPD is currently on scene using thermal imaging cameras to attempt to locate the animals. However, the rainy weather hampers their efforts.

“Residents are strongly advised to secure doors and windows to prevent these animals from entering their homes,” warns the YPD. “If you spot any of the escaped animals, please contact 911 immediately and do not approach them. We thank you for your patience and cooperation. Further updates will be released as they become available.”

On Thursday at 10:18 a.m., the YPD posted on its social media accounts the exact number and type of animals missing: 43 rhesus macaque primates. Local police added that no one had been recaptured at this point.

Rhesus macaques average about 19 to 25 inches long (excluding tail), and males weigh about 25 pounds (11 kg) on average. According to brittanica.com, the females weigh about 8.5 kg. Rhesus macaques, which have orange legs and rumps, can thrive in a wide range of climates and habitats.

Alpha Genesis spokespeople did not immediately return calls seeking comment and additional information.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time that monkeys have “broke out” and escaped from confinement in the town of Yemassee, Garnes said, confirming the truth behind the local legends.

“This has happened before,” he confirmed. “Attempts to escape have been few and far between, but they have happened. They escaped and were later recaptured, and everything is fine.” Garnes declined to comment on rumors that some wild monkeys still live in the Yemassee area and that some locals provided food for them on the move at night.

The Hampton County Guardian published an extensive article about the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center in 2011. Further information can be found below.

Yemassee’s “monkey farm” has a connection to the Murdaugh crime saga

Of course, like most things in Hampton County these days, the Yemassee Monkey Farm has a connection to the Alex Murdaugh murder trial and international crime saga.

During Murdaugh’s double murder trial in spring 2023, it was revealed during jury selection that one of the jurors, Juror 785, now identified as Myra Crosby, worked at the monkey farm. This information was later published on the Internet, leading to the dissatisfaction of many true crime fans following the trial.

Crosby, also known as “The Egg Lady” or “The Egg Juror” because she took a dozen eggs with her when she was dismissed from the jury for alleged disorderly conduct, has since published a book, “Because Enough is Enough.”

In this book, Crosby discusses why she feels she was unfairly dismissed from the jury and claims that Murdaugh may not have received a fair trial.

More about the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center

In 2011, the author visited the center to get a first-hand, behind-the-scenes look, and the Hampton County Guardian published an in-depth report on the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center in 2011. Here are the highlights below:

After driving through the spooky, Spanish moss-covered darkness of Old Sheldon Road, a southern sense of mystery and mischief sets in, and stories of wild monkeys in the woods abound, but there’s more science than in Alpha Genesis’s Yemassee Mystery Primate Center on Castle Hall Road, said President and CEO Dr. Greg Westergaard told the Hampton County Guardian during an interview in 2011.

“We get a lot of unusual calls from here with alleged ‘sightings,'” Westergaard said. “One lady said she saw seven or eight gorillas. It’s usually a possum, raccoon or cat.”

Other passersby often whisper among themselves, “I wonder what they do with the monkeys in there?”

The facility was undoubtedly a topic of conversation in the nearby town and was the target of animal rights groups.

In 2008, the center was the victim of a false bomb threat. A national animal rights group staged a protest in 1998. In 2011, a group from Savannah Animal Advocacy staged a peaceful protest in front of the facility.

But Westergaard wants people to know more about the monkey business that runs at his center, which primarily breeds and keeps primates, which are often an important tool in developing cures for countless diseases.

His job is to raise healthy and well-groomed animals. The animals are usually divided into groups like in the wild, with seven or eight females per male. Mature females typically give birth to one offspring each year throughout their lives.

“We are primarily a breeding facility. Our overarching goal is the health and reproduction of the monkeys. We want them to be healthy, happy and reproduce.”

“We breed animals primarily for research purposes,” he added. “We conduct behavioral research here and conduct studies that have relatively low impact, such as blood draws. None of the animals here are infected with any diseases, and the studies pose no threat to the monkeys or people here.”

The original colony was established in 1964 to provide animals for polio vaccine research. Today the center is home to around 5,000 monkeys from Africa, South America and the Caribbean. Species include marmosets, cynomolgus and rhesus macaques, African green macaques, and several New World species.

Animals bred at Yemassee are sold only to USDA-licensed research facilities, according to Alpha Genesis, where they are used in accordance with current legal and ethical practices to advance vaccine development and cure a variety of diseases: cancer, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and more.

“Everyone is affected by all these diseases. You need a population on which to test possible life-saving procedures. Are you using humans or a minimal number of non-human primates? You have limited choices,” Westergaard said.

“I fully support alternatives to using animals for research… but I don’t see a way out of it at this time. But I also support medical advances that can help large numbers of people. Our goal is to keep the animals as healthy as possible and use as little as possible.

The Yemassee Primate Center actually consists of two sites totaling 35 acres, one in Hampton County on Old Salkehatchie Road and the most visible on Castle Hall Road in Beaufort County. In 2011 the center employed 70 people, most of them locals, many of them long-term employees.

“The majority of our staff is dedicated directly to caring for the monkeys. Feeding and hygiene is very labor intensive. It’s like running a small town,” Westergaard said.

Animals, identified by chest tattoos and painted arm markings, are kept both indoors and outdoors in pens up to 20 feet high. Staff use these tags to observe these animals and record information about them in a massive database.

Westergaard has a Ph.D. in developmental psychology from the University of Washington in Seattle. He uses his expertise to find ways to minimize fighting between the monkeys and maximize compatibility.

“They all have their individual personalities, likes and dislikes. They have their friends they spend time with, they have the monkeys they don’t spend time with. Everything you can imagine at a cocktail party without cocktails,” he said.

Staff often choose their favorites and befriend different monkeys, even giving them pet names. The center employs full-time veterinarians as well as several veterinary technicians. Each animal is observed at least twice daily, seven days a week, to monitor its overall health. Employees wear protective masks, gloves and clothing to protect themselves and the primates.

“Monkeys and humans are very closely related. If you have a cold, it is very likely that you will pass it on to one of the monkeys,” he added. “It’s like running a gardening business: if you get sick, it spreads pretty quickly.”

The employees also build toys and all sorts of “monkey bars” for the primates to play with.

“Nonhuman primates are very intelligent and like to keep their hands busy,” Westergaard said.

In addition to the Monkey Chow (yes, it’s made by Purina), monkeys also receive regular visits from a fruit cart.

But back to the monkey stories. Have there ever been refugees? Could monkeys survive alone in the Lowcountry?

“It’s extremely rare for an animal to come out – since I’ve been here, only one or two have come out and not been found,” Westergaard said. “Generally they jump back in to be with their mates. The rhesus monkeys would probably do well on their own, but the rest wouldn’t do well without heat in the winter.”

According to its website, Alpha Genesis is accredited by the AAALAC (Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care) and has an extensive ethics and compliance program to ensure employees adhere to all legal, regulatory and ethical requirements.

For more information about Alpha Genesis, visit AlphaGenesisInc.com.

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