Monkeys that escaped from Alpha Genesis in Yemassee, SC are still at large

by Junna Base November 8, 2024

Forty-three monkeys that escaped from their facility in South Carolina were still running loose Friday morning, Yemassee police told USA TODAY, although they had been found and efforts were underway to recapture them.

The rhesus macaque primates, described as “very young females weighing approximately 6 to 7 pounds,” escaped around 1 p.m. Wednesday from Alpha Genesis, a primate research facility in Yemassee, a small town about 26 miles from Beaufort, said Yemassee police with a 5:50 p.m. advisory Thursday. The primates escaped after a caretaker failed to secure the doors, Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard said, according to police. It was initially reported that 40 monkeys escaped, but the number has now been confirmed at 43.

Police said the animals were never used for testing due to their young age and size, and an Alpha Genesis spokesman told police that “these animals are too young to transmit disease.”

The monkeys are believed to be in the wooded area surrounding the facility, and officials are assisting Alpha Genesis employees, who “attempted to lure the animals back using food,” to confine the animals.

Residents advise caution and avoid the area

Residents in Yemassee and surrounding areas were “strongly advised” to secure all doors and windows to prevent the animals from entering their homes.

Authorities have also advised residents not to approach or interact with the monkeys and to call 911 immediately if they see any of the escaped animals.

“These animals are very sensitive and easily frightened,” Yemassee police said. “The public is advised to avoid the area as these animals are described as skittish and any additional noise or movement could hinder their safe capture.”

This is not the first time the monkeys have escaped from the facility. In 2016, 19 monkeys escaped from Alpha Genesis and were captured nearly six hours later, according to The Post and Courier, while in December 2014, 26 monkeys escaped.

Alpha Genesis — which, according to its website, conducts research projects for government, university and private sector clients — did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment on the incident.

How many monkeys does Alpha Genesis have?

Alpha Genesis has about 5,000 monkeys at two locations in Africa, South America and the Caribbean. Species include marmosets, cynomolgus and rhesus macaques, African green macaques, and several New World species.

While the primates escaped from the site on Castle Hall Road in Beaufort County, Alpha Genesis also has a site in neighboring Hampton County, according to the Hampton County Guardian.

What is Alpha Genesis?

Alpha Genesis Inc. describes itself on its website as a “world-leading provider of the best products and services for non-human primates.”

The facility states that its “experienced and caring staff” are “dedicated to conducting humane research with non-human primates to advance knowledge in primate biology and address human health concerns.”

The President and CEO of Alpha Genesis, Dr. Greg Westergaard, told the Hampton County Guardian in a 2011 interview that the facility was “primarily a breeding facility” and that the animals were bred for “research purposes.”

“Our overall goal is the health and reproduction of monkeys,” Westergaard told the Hampton County Guardian. “We breed animals primarily for research purposes. We do some 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 CEO had said.

According to the Hampton County Guardian, Alpha Genesis was founded in 1964 to provide animals for polio vaccine research.

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

“I fully support alternatives to using animals for research… but I don’t see a way out of it at this time,” Westergaard had said. “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 to consume as little as possible.”

Monkey Island

In March 2023, Alpha Genesis also took over management of Morgan Island in South Carolina, also known as “Monkey Island,” which is home to about 3,500 rhesus macaques, The Post and Courier reported.

Located off the coast of Beaufort, Morgan Island covers more than 2,000 acres and is off-limits to humans, according to Travel and Leisure.

Morgan Island was previously owned and managed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, while the monkey colony was owned by the National Institute of Allergy + Infectious Diseases.

Contributor: Michael M. DeWitt, Jr., Bluffton Today

Saman Shafiq is a featured news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

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