Beaufort Co. research facility CEO: ‘Human error’ assumed cause of monkey escape

YEMASSEE, S.C. (WCSC) - The CEO of the research facility from which 43 monkeys escaped earlier this month says after an inspection of the facility, human error is believed to be the cause of the incident.

Forty-three rhesus macaque monkeys escaped from Alpha Genesis near Yemassee on Nov. 6.

Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard confirmed there was no structural failure of the containment area where the monkeys are kept. He said there are two gates one must pass through to get inside the main enclosure where the monkeys live.

"The procedure is to open the first gate, and then close and lock that gate prior to opening the second gate, which is then also supposed to be closed and locked. Each gate has two locks and two latches," he said. “Prior to cleaning, the animals are separated into an area within the main enclosure and locked behind a third gate which also has two latches and locks. In this case, all three gates were unsecured; otherwise, the animals would have remained contained.”

They have since determined that all six gates and locks are in perfect working order as the facility is brand new, he said.

They are assuming the failure to secure the three gates “was the result of human error rather than malice,” Westergaard said, but added that they have no way of knowing that for certain.

The employee involved left the facility after the monkeys escaped, but said he was aware of no argument or disagreement involving the employee before the escape.

“My understanding is that immediately after the incident occurred, the employee’s supervisor approached her and stated that she could be terminated if it was determined that there was no structural failure which led to the escape,” he said. “I am told at that point the employee walked off the job and has not returned.”

He said they do not plan to publicly release the employee’s name.

Westergaard also said that he doesn’t know for sure if the employee is officially terminated but “he would expect so.”

8 monkeys still on the loose

In the week-and-a-half since the escape, 35 of the 43 monkeys have been recaptured.

All have been said to be in good health.

Authorities set traps around the area and Yemassee Police used on-site thermal imaging cameras to locate the animals.

The facility has received millions of taxpayer dollars in funding, government data shows.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Service has awarded Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center more than $19 million in 2024 alone, according to federal government spending data. The majority of that funding comes from taxpayer dollars.

U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-South Carolina, launched an inquiry into the facility on Wednesday. Her office has demanded a full briefing from the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Agriculture about active contracts and inspections at the facility, documentation of communication with Alpha Genesis regarding the recent monkey escape, and immediate corrective actions to enhance oversight and safety at Alpha Genesis.

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