Residents warned after 40 monkeys escape research facility

Authorities successful South Carolina person warned residents to fastener their doors and windows aft 40 monkeys escaped from a investigation installation Wednesday night.

The primates collapsed loose from a Alpha Genesis installation successful Beaufort County and traps person been group up and thermal imaging cameras are being utilized successful an effort to find nan fugitive monkeys, nan Yemassee Police Department said successful a statement.

"Residents are powerfully advised to support doors and windows secured to forestall these animals from entering homes," constabulary said. "If you spot immoderate of nan escaped animals, please interaction 911 instantly and refrain from approaching them."

According to its website, Alpha Genesis breeds monkeys and provides "nonhuman primate products and bio-research services" crossed nan globe. The company's objective tests reportedly include investigation connected progressive encephalon disorders.

Authorities didn't place nan breed of nan escaped primates, but nan company's website says its unit of veterinary technicians and animal specialists activity pinch cynomolgous, rhesus and capuchin monkeys.

The Yemassee Police Department said aggregate officers were moving pinch Alpha Genesis unit to recapture nan primates.

The Post and Courier newspaper reported past twelvemonth that Alpha Genesis won a national statement to oversee a colony of 3,500 rhesus monkeys connected South Carolina's Morgan Island, known arsenic "Monkey Island."

The newspaper reported that monkeys person escaped from Alpha Genesis before. Eight years ago, 19 primates escaped from nan company's installation but were recaptured astir six hours later.

Last twelvemonth successful Pennsylvania, dozens of laboratory monkeys escaped aft a motortruck carrying 100 of nan animals crashed. All nan primates were later accounted for.

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• South Carolina