Photo: Istvan Kadar Photography / Moment / Getty Images
Authorities in South Carolina have successfully recaptured the last four of 43 rhesus macaque monkeys that escaped from a facility in Yemassee. The monkeys, all females, had been on the loose for two months after an employee at Alpha Genesis, a medical research breeding facility, failed to properly secure their enclosure on November 6. The monkeys were finally lured back into captivity using peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and "monkey biscuits," a special high-protein Purina Monkey Chow.
During their time in the wild, the monkeys endured a rare snowstorm, which brought up to three inches of snow to the area, the first such event in seven years. Despite their time in the woods, the monkeys appeared to be in good health upon their return, according to Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard.
The escape occurred when a worker unintentionally left multiple gates and latches unsecured, allowing the monkeys to roam free. The facility, located about a mile from downtown Yemassee and 50 miles northeast of Savannah, Georgia, breeds monkeys for sale to medical facilities and researchers.
The rhesus macaques, weighing about seven pounds each, posed no risk to public health during their escape, as confirmed by Alpha Genesis, federal health officials, and police.
