Police are searching for forty-three monkeys that escaped from a South Carolina research institution after a caretaker left their pen open, but the local police chief said that there is “almost no danger” to the public.
In the Lowcountry region of the state, the rhesus macaque fugitives are on the run after breaking out of Alpha Genesis, a company that raises monkeys for medical testing and research.
The authorities have asked citizens to keep their windows and doors shut and to report any sightings right away. As per the Yemassee Police Department, the escaped monkeys are young females, each weighing approximately 7 pounds (3.2 kg).
Authorities reported Thursday that the business had found the “skittish” bunch and “are trying to lure them in with food.”
“They are not infected with any disease whatsoever. They are harmless and a little skittish,” Yemassee Police Chief Gregory Alexander said Thursday morning.
Alexander said that although the organization often manages escapes on-site, the monkeys managed to escape from the complex approximately one mile (1.6 kilometers) from downtown Yemassee.
“The handlers know them well and usually can get them back with fruit or a little treat,” Alexander was quoted as saying by The Associated Press.
