Monkey mayhem in South Carolina after 43 primates escape research facility

Residents in a small South Carolina town are finding themselves in the middle of a real-life game of Jumanji after 43 monkeys escaped Wednesday from a research facility.

Residents in a small South Carolina town are finding themselves in the middle of a real-life game of Jumanji after 43 monkeys escaped Wednesday from a research facility. The rhesus macaque primates are all still on the loose as of Friday after escaping from the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center in Yemassee. The runaway primates have been seen “playfully exploring the perimeter fence of the facility, engaging with those still inside by cooing to them,” the Yemassee Police Department said Friday. The monkeys are “exhibiting calm and playful behavior, which is a positive indication,” police said. In a Thursday update, police said Alpha Genesis had eyes on the monkeys and were attempting to entice them with food. Residents have been asked to keep doors and windows closed to prevent the monkeys from entering their homes. Police advised those who encounter the missing monkeys to refrain from interacting with them and immediately call 911. The young primates – all female and between 6 to 7 pounds – have never been used for testing and are too young to carry disease, police said. “They are described as being very skittish and will congregate in groups,” Yemassee Town Administrator Matthew Garnes told CNN. The monkeys are nonviolent, but may be growing restless due to hunger, he said.