40 Monkeys on the Loose After Escaping From Research Facility

In a development which directly mirrors the movie 28 Days Later, 40 monkeys have escaped from a research facility in Yemassee, South Carolina.

The Yemassee Police Department made the bizarre announcement in a statement on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, 40 monkeys escaped from the Alpha Genesis research facility. It’s unclear how they managed to flee. The police department is currently investigating the mass escape, using thermal imaging to locate the primates. They are working with Alpha Genesis to bring the animals home safely. The statement noted that “traps have been set up around the area” to ensnare the wily escapees.

“Residents are strongly advised to keep doors and windows secured to prevent these animals from entering homes,” authorities said. “If you spot any of the escaped animals, please contact 911 immediately and refrain from approaching them.”

Alpha Genesis is a laboratory that breeds primates and provides "nonhuman primate products and bio-research services" worldwide. Many of the company’s clinical trials have focused on treating progressive brain disorders. While the monkeys that escaped the facility have not been identified, Alpha Genesis specializes in working with cynomolgus, rhesus, and capuchin monkeys.

This isn’t the first time monkeys have escaped from the Alpha Genesis facility. The Post and Courier reported in 2016 that 19 primates escaped from the lab but were recaptured just a few hours later.