Monkeys again escape from South Carolina breeding farm | Beaufort County News | postandcourier.com

Mitchell Black writes about Bluffton and the southern Lowcountryfor The Post and Courier's Beaufort County bureau. He previouslycovered health care and county government with the AshevilleCitizen Times.

A Rhesus monkey at the Alpha Genesis facility in Yemassee.

YEMASSEE — It happened again.

A group of 40 female rhesus macaque monkeys absconded from Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center on Nov. 6, according to Yemassee police. The animals escaped a facility on Castle Hall Road that is owned by a private company that breeds monkeys for medical testing and research.

"Traps have been set up around the area, and the Yemassee Police Department is currently on-site utilizing thermal imaging cameras in an attempt to locate the animals," the updated post around 9:45 p.m. stated. "Residents are strongly advised to keep doors and windows secured to prevent these animals from entering homes."

Anyone who encounters the primates should call 911 rather than attempting capture or contact, the police department warned.

The small primates are about 6 pounds, and do not pose a threat to the public, said Yemassee Police Chief Gregory Alexander.

"Just don't try to take these things home or pet them," Alexander said. "We're getting a lot of that on our social media. That's a felony because they don't belong to you."

Alpha Genesis, which is handling the recapture, set traps and reported sightings, Alexander said.

Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture fined Alpha Genesis $12,600 for incidents that occurred between December 2014 and February 2016. Documents from the federal government mentioned improperly secured enclosures and dehydration caused by an accidentally closed water line. An animal exploitation watchdog group thought the penalties were not severe enough.

The records highlighted a violation that led to 26 monkeys escaping in December 2014. A monkey was placed into the incorrect social group in August 2015, and was killed by other monkeys.

Westergaard previously told The Post and Courier that the group paid the citations in July 2017. He said the group self-reported several of the violations cited by the federal government.

The Lowcountry has endured a rash of primate escapes in recent years. In May, Bradley the Japanese macaque escaped from its home in Walterboro. After a multi-day search, Colleton County animal services revealed that the monkey had been captured. Two days later, officials revealed that the animal was found dead.

In 2016, 19 monkeys escaped from Alpha Genesis. The primates were returned home six hours after their jailbreak.

According to the USDA, at least five monkeys at the facility died between 2011 and 2012.

This is a developing story. Updates will be provided.

Jessica Wade contributed to this report.

Reach Mitchell Black at 854 683 5303.

Primates escape from Lowcountry breeding facility.

Mitchell Black writes about Bluffton and the southern Lowcountryfor The Post and Courier's Beaufort County bureau. He previouslycovered health care and county government with the AshevilleCitizen Times.