Police in South Carolina are actively searching for 43 monkeys that escaped from a research facility in Yemassee on Wednesday. The outbreak occurred when a staff member failed to secure a door properly, allowing the primates to flee into the wooded region surrounding the facility. Locals have been warned not to interact with the monkeys and to call 911 immediately if they spot any of the escaped primates. The company, Alpha Genesis, is attempting to entice the animals back using food in order to capture them safely.
The monkeys are very young females, weighing just 6 to 7 lbs. Police have stated that the animals are too young to carry disease, although it is unclear if this means they are incapable of contracting disease or simply have not been introduced into any clinical trials. This is not the first time monkeys have escaped from the facility, with 11 managing to break out in 2022. Alpha Genesis conducts medical research for various clients and manages a colony of 3,500 monkeys on Morgan Island off the coast of South Carolina. Animal rights advocates have expressed concerns over the ethics of using primates in medical research on such a large scale.
Kathleen Conlee of the Humane Society of the United States has called for an end to monkey testing, stating that these intelligent and social animals deserve protection rather than exploitation. She argues that Congress should focus on funding ethical, non-animal alternatives that are more effective, humane, and cost taxpayers less money. Lisa Jones-Engel of PETA has criticized the monkey experimentation industry for failing to improve human health and instead putting the public at risk. The use of primates in research has been a controversial topic, with concerns raised about the treatment and welfare of these animals.
The company’s CEO, Greg Westergaard, explained that the incident was the result of human error, as a caretaker failed to secure two separate doors in a new enclosure. The company is working to capture the escaped monkeys safely and minimize any potential harm to the public or the animals themselves. One-way traps containing apples are being used to entice the animals back to the facility. It is important for the public to avoid the area to prevent further frightening the monkeys and hindering the capture efforts.
Efforts are ongoing to locate and capture the escaped monkeys, with police and Alpha Genesis staff working together to ensure a safe resolution to this situation. The primates will be returned to the facility once they are captured, and measures will be taken to prevent future escapes. The incident has highlighted the risks and challenges associated with using primates in medical research and has sparked a debate over the ethical implications of such practices. The outcome of this situation will have implications for future research and the treatment of animals in scientific experiments.
