Dozens Of Monkeys Have Fled A Primate Research Facility In The US

Forty-three young female rhesus macaques have escaped from a primate research facility in South Carolina, prompting police to warn residents to keep windows and doors locked and to avoid approaching the animals. The monkeys, which are too young to carry diseases and have not been tested on yet, escaped when a keeper left a door open in their outdoor enclosure. Efforts are underway to recapture the monkeys using food, traps, thermal-imaging cameras, and drones, with the police urging people not to try to take them home or pet them as it is considered a felony.

The research facility, Alpha Genesis, breeds primates for medical testing and research, and also provides nonhuman primate products and bio-research services to research labs. The company recently took over management of Morgan Island, also known as Monkey Island, making it one of the world's largest breeders of monkeys used in experimentation. Animal advocates have criticized the primate testing industry for being unethical and outdated, with various scandals exposing unjustifiable and cruel experiments.

In the US, primate research has been linked to cases of wildlife trafficking, and there have been instances where monkeys were mutilated and died in experiments. Despite ongoing debates over the morality and effectiveness of animal testing, the use of primates in research continues to be controversial and raises concerns about the treatment and welfare of animals in such facilities.