13 escaped monkeys still on the loose in South Carolina after 30 were recaptured

Police in South Carolina announced that five more monkeys that escaped from Alpha Genesis research facility in Yemassee have been recaptured, bringing the total number of monkeys caught to 30. Thirteen research monkeys still remain on the loose as of Monday evening.

Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard told the police that all recovered primates appear to be in "good health."

"Efforts to safely capture the remaining primates will continue throughout the evening and as long as necessary," police said in their update, advising residents and the public to avoid the area and refrain from operating drones there "as they can startle the animals and cause further stress."

How did the monkeys escape from Alpha Genesis?

Forty-three rhesus macaques monkeys, described as "very young females weighing approximately 6 - 7 lbs," escaped from Alpha Genesis, a primate research facility in Yemassee, a small town about 60 miles west of Charleston, around 1 p.m. last Wednesday, according to the Yemassee Police Department. The primates escaped after a caretaker failed to secure the doors, Westergaard had earlier told the police department.

Since their escape, the monkeys were spotted in trees among the woods surrounding the 100-acre Alpha Genesis facility.

Authorities had managed to recover 25 of them between Saturday and Sunday as they hung out along the facility's fence line, where many had bedded down for sleep overnight, the police department said Sunday. The company, along with law enforcement, has been baiting the primates with food.

The monkeys that escaped have not yet been used for testing due to their size and young age, and do not pose a risk to the public since they are too young to carry disease, according to Alpha Genesis.

Still, the town’s 2,200 residents have been asked to keep their doors and windows closed. Anyone who spots the monkeys are warned against approaching the "skittish" animals and are asked to instead call 911, according to police.

Alpha Genesis:What is Alpha Genesis and what does it do?

Not first time monkeys escape Alpha Genesis

This is not the first time monkeys have escaped Alpha Genesis.

In 2016, 19 monkeys escaped from Alpha Genesis and were captured almost six hours later, according to The Post and Courier.

Two years prior to that, 26 monkeys escaped in December 2014 and were recaptured within two days. The company was later fined $12,600 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for failures to contain the animals.

Contributing: Ahjané Forbes, Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.