COLUMBIA, S.C. — One of the 43 monkeys raised for research purposes that escaped from a facility in South Carolina has been successfully captured without any injuries, as reported by authorities on Saturday.

Many other monkeys from the group have been spotted nearby, playfully leaping over the fence of the premises, according to law enforcement officials in their statement.

The Rhesus macaques made their escape on Wednesday when a staff member at the Alpha Genesis facility in Yemassee forgot to securely close a door while attending to their feeding and care, officials indicated.

On Friday, the remaining monkeys were seen curiously interacting with the outer fence, communicating with their companions still housed inside the facility. Their ongoing interactions with the monkeys within the compound on Saturday have been interpreted as a positive indication of their well-being, as per the police statement.

Greg Westergaard, the CEO of Alpha Genesis, shared that efforts to safely recover all of the escaped monkeys will continue throughout the weekend and will persist until every last animal has been returned, as mentioned in the statement.

These monkeys are roughly the size of a domestic cat, with all individuals being female and weighing around 7 pounds (3 kilograms) each.

Authorities from Alpha Genesis, federal health representatives, and police have all reassured the public that the escaped monkeys do not pose any health risks. The facility is known for breeding monkeys to supply medical and research institutions.

According to its website, Alpha Genesis caters to research needs globally from its location in Yemassee, situated approximately 50 miles (80 kilometers) to the northeast of Savannah, Georgia.