Monkey mayhem as dozens of primates escape South Carolina research center

Residents in a South Carolina town were advised to close their windows and doors after 43 rhesus macaque monkeys escaped a testing facility Thursday.

The warning came after the primates fled the "Alpha Genesis facility located on Castle Hall Road," the Yemassee Police Department (YPD) posted on social media. 

"Residents are strongly advised to keep doors and windows secured to prevent these animals from entering homes," the department said.

A spokesperson from Alpha Genesis confirmed to Fox News Digital that the monkeys were too young to carry diseases, saying that they were too young for testing.

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Alpha Genesis said that traps were set up in the area and police were using thermal imaging cameras in an attempt to locate the vanishing monkeys.

"Traps have been set up around the area, and the Yemassee Police Department is currently on-site utilizing thermal imaging cameras in an attempt to locate the animals," the organization said.

In an update at 1 p.m. Thursday, the YPD said that it had eyes on the primates and were attempting to entice them with food.

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The monkeys are said to weigh 6 to 7 pounds, and described by police as "skittish."

Alpha Genesis is responsible for the maintenance, feeding, and veterinary care of monkeys at its primary facility in Yemassee.

The facility is home to around 6,500 animals.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Yemassee Police Department for comment.

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