On Wednesday, Nov. 6, the Yemassee Police Department announced on Facebook that as of 9:45 p.m., 40 monkeys had managed to break free from the Alpha Genesis research facility on Castle Hall Road and were still unaccounted for.
“Traps have been placed around the area, and Yemassee Police officers are using thermal imaging cameras to locate the animals,” the department reported.
Residents were cautioned to lock their doors and windows to prevent the monkeys from entering homes, with police emphasizing the need to avoid approaching the animals. They urged anyone who spots the monkeys to call 911 immediately.
The post expressed appreciation for the public’s patience, promising to share updates as they come.
Alpha Genesis, a primate research company, describes itself on its website as one of the largest facilities in the U.S. for nonhuman primate research and care, dedicated to the health and welfare of monkeys and other living creatures.
The police did not specify the type of research involving the escaped animals or the primate species in question. Both Alpha Genesis and Yemassee Police Chief Gregory Alexander declined to provide further information when contacted by PEOPLE.
According to The Post and Courier Beaufort County, this is not the first such incident; back in 2016, 19 monkeys escaped from the same facility and were recaptured within six hours.