Overview

• The monkeys escaped on November 6, 2024, after an Alpha Genesis employee failed to secure multiple gates properly.
• All 43 rhesus macaques were young females, weighing between 6 and 7 pounds, and posed no health risk to the public.
• The final four monkeys, recaptured this week, had survived harsh weather conditions, including South Carolina's first snowfall since 2018.
• Alpha Genesis staff and local authorities used humane traps and food, including peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, to safely capture the animals.
• The USDA is investigating the incident, which marks the second escape from the facility in recent years, raising concerns about its protocols.