### Eighteen Monkeys Still Missing After Escape from South Carolina Research Facility

In Yemassee, South Carolina, 18 rhesus macaques remain unaccounted for following an escape from the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center. Last Wednesday, 43 young female monkeys bolted from the facility, sparking a dramatic multi-day search.

Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard reported on the situation this past weekend. According to Yemassee Police Department's statement, an additional 24 monkeys have been recovered, bringing the total number of recaptured animals to 25. Despite their brief time in the wild, the police assure that the monkeys are in good health.

The young primates, each weighing between 6 and 7 pounds, have been seen near the facility’s fence, with some even bedding down in nearby trees at night. Officers noted that the monkeys were observed jumping back and forth over the facility's fence, suggesting they were not quite ready to venture far from their familiar surroundings.

Westergaard revealed that the escape occurred through an unsecured door left open by a caretaker, leading the group of monkeys to bolt. "It's really like follow-the-leader. You see one go and the others go," he explained. Of the 50 monkeys in the group, seven opted to stay behind while the rest made their dramatic exit.

The monkeys, being very young, have not yet been used for testing and are too young to carry diseases. Alpha Genesis focuses on breeding and researching primates for activities such as vaccine development and experimental surgical procedures.

Police have advised local residents to avoid the area and not to use drones in an attempt to locate the missing monkeys. Authorities and facility staff are hopeful that the remaining monkeys will eventually return on their own.