Officials report 43 escaped monkeys from Beaufort Co.; Rep. Mace responds

YEMASSEE, SC (WCSC) – Yemassee Police and the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office are asking the public to avoid the area of ​​the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center as staff work to capture 43 escaped monkeys.

Officials say police are working with the facility to capture dozens of rhesus macaques that escaped from their enclosure Wednesday afternoon.

An Alpha Genesis spokesman said the monkeys were very young females and weighed less than 10 pounds. They said these monkeys were never used for testing because of their young age, small size and the fact that they were too young to transmit disease.

Facility staff are working to attract the monkeys with food.

Because the monkeys are so shy, officials say additional noise or movement could prevent them from being captured safely.

Anyone who finds one of the monkeys should not approach the animal and immediately call 911.

South Carolina Congressional District 1 Representative Nancy Mace released the following statement in a post to X:

We are carefully gathering all relevant information to keep our constituents informed about the recent escape of primates from Alpha Genesis Inc. in Beaufort County. Our office is in direct communication with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and is working closely with their team to monitor and assess the situation. We will withhold formal statements until we fully understand all the facts. Stay tuned…

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