YEMASSEE, S.C. — Authorities confirmed on Tuesday that two additional monkeys have been safely returned to the breeding compound in South Carolina that specializes in supplying primates for scientific research. Currently, only 11 of the original 43 Rhesus macaques that escaped last week remain outside the Alpha Genesis facility, according to a police statement.

Officials from Alpha Genesis reported that the two recaptured monkeys were found enjoying peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and appeared to be healthy. A small group of monkeys continues to reside outside the perimeter of the facility, close to traps set up by the company in the wooded area surrounding the compound. Employees at Alpha Genesis have been monitoring the situation, noting that the monkeys have been making cooing sounds.

Since the monkeys escaped from an enclosure on November 6 due to an employee’s oversight in securing it, a total of 32 monkeys have been brought back to the facility. Alpha Genesis has assured that efforts to recover all the escapees will persist until every last one is accounted for. The compound is located roughly a mile from downtown Yemassee and about 50 miles northeast of Savannah, Georgia.

These monkeys, comparable in size to house cats, are all female and weigh around 7 pounds (3 kilograms) each. Rhesus macaques have been part of scientific research since the late 19th century, and it is believed that they share about 93% of their DNA with humans, having diverged from a common ancestor around 25 million years ago.

Officials from Alpha Genesis, in conjunction with federal health authorities and local police, have stated that the escaped monkeys do not pose a risk to public health. The facility’s primary operation involves breeding these monkeys for sale to medical research institutions and other scientific entities.

Members of the public who come across the monkeys are cautioned to maintain their distance and refrain from flying drones in the vicinity, as the animals are naturally timid and may flee from their gathered locations.