2 more escaped monkeys recaptured and enjoying peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in South Carolina – KSAT San Antonio
Associated Press
Published:
Associated Press
YEMASSEE, S.C. – Two more monkeys have been returned to the South Carolina compound that breeds the primates for medical research, authorities said Tuesday.
Only 11 of the 43 Rhesus macaques that escaped last week now remain outside the Alpha Genesis facility in Yemassee, police said in a statement.
Recommended Videos
Alpha Genesis officials told police that the two monkeys captured Tuesday were eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and appeared to be in good health.
A group of monkeys remains outside the fence close to traps set up by the company in the woods around the compound. They can be heard cooing by the Alpha Genesis employees monitoring them, police said.
In all, 32 monkeys have been returned to the compound since their escape on Nov. 6 after an employee didn’t fully lock an enclosure.
Alpha Genesis has said that efforts to recover all the monkeys will continue for as long as it takes at its compound about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from downtown Yemassee and about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Savannah, Georgia.
The monkeys are about the size of a cat. They are all females weighing about 7 pounds (3 kilograms).
Humans have been using the monkeys for scientific research since the late 1800s. Scientists believe that Rhesus macaques and humans split from a common ancestor about 25 million years ago and share about 93% of the same DNA.
The monkeys pose no risk to public health, Alpha Genesis, federal health officials and police have all said. The facility breeds the monkeys to sell to medical facilities and other researchers.
If people encounter the monkeys, they are advised to stay away from them — and to not fly drones in the area. The company said they are skittish and might run away from where they are gathered.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Recommended Videos
Email Newsletters
KSAT RSS Feeds
Contests and Rules
Contact Us
KSAT Internships
Careers at KSAT
Closed Captioning / Audio Description
Public File
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Do Not Sell My Info
FCC Applications
If you need help with the Public File, call (210) 351-1200.
At KSAT, 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 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings.
