24 more monkeys that escaped from a South Carolina lab are recovered unharmed – KPRC Click2Houston
Associated Press
Published:
Associated Press
COLUMBIA, S.C. – More than half of the monkeys bred for medical research that escaped from a compound in South Carolina last week have now been recovered unharmed, officials said Sunday.
Twenty-four monkeys were captured on Sunday, a day after another of the 43 escaped monkeys was recovered.
Recommended Videos
A “sizeable group” remains active along the compound’s fence line and bedded down in the trees for the night, police in Yemassee, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Savannah, Georgia, said in a statement. Veterinarians have been examining the animals and initial reports indicate they are all in good health, police said.
The Rhesus macaques made a break for it Wednesday after an employee at the Alpha Genesis facility in Yemassee didn’t fully lock a door as she fed and checked on them, officials said.
Since their escape, the monkeys have explored the outer fence of the Alpha Genesis compound, cooing at the monkeys inside. The primates continued to interact with their companions inside the facility Saturday, which police have said was a positive sign.
Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard has said that efforts to recover all the monkeys will continue for as long as it takes.
The monkeys are about the size of a cat. They are all females weighing about 7 pounds (3 kilograms).
Alpha Genesis, federal health officials and police all said the monkeys pose no risk to public health. The facility breeds the monkeys to sell to medical and other researchers.
Alpha Genesis provides primates for research worldwide at its compound in Yemassee, according to its website.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
TV Listings
Email Newsletters
RSS Feeds
Contests and Rules
Contact Us
Meet the Team
Careers at KPRC
Closed Captioning / Audio Description
Public File
Current EEO Report
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Do Not Sell My Info
FCC Applications
If you need help with the Public File, call (713) 778-4745.
At KPRC, we are committed to informing and delighting our audience. In our commitment to covering our communities with innovation and excellence, we incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to enhance our news gathering, reporting, and presentation processes. Read our article to see how we are using Artificial Intelligence.
Copyright © 2024 Click2Houston.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings.
