In Yemassee, South Carolina, four monkeys are still on the loose almost two weeks after escaping from a breeding facility that specializes in primates for medical research, according to local authorities.

Recently, two additional rhesus macaques were captured outside the Alpha Genesis facility, bringing the total recovered to 39, as stated by CEO Greg Westergaard in a police-issued social media update.

The two monkeys caught on Monday were reported to be in good condition, and the remaining escapees are also believed to be doing well. According to Westergaard, efforts to retrieve the last four monkeys are set to continue, with authorities speculating that they are likely together in a nearby area adjacent to the Alpha Genesis property.

The incident began on November 6 when 43 monkeys escaped after an employee inadvertently failed to secure their enclosure properly, as reported by law enforcement officials. Westergaard explained that there are three gates designed to keep the monkeys contained, and protocol requires one gate to be locked before another is opened. However, on the day of the escape, all gates were left unsecured, resulting in the primates breaking free, a situation that Westergaard described as accidental.

Alpha Genesis is committed to recovering all the monkeys, vowing to continue searching at their compound located roughly a mile from downtown Yemassee and about 50 miles northeast of Savannah, Georgia.

The monkeys are roughly the size of a house cat and consist entirely of females, each weighing around 7 pounds (3 kilograms). Historically, monkeys have been utilized for scientific research since the late 1800s, with researchers noting that rhesus macaques and human beings diverged from a shared ancestor approximately 25 million years ago, sharing about 93% of their genetic material.

Experts from Alpha Genesis, alongside federal health officials and local law enforcement, have stated that these monkeys do not pose any threat to public health. The facility breeds these primates for sale to medical institutions and research facilities.

In the event that individuals encounter the loose monkeys, authorities advise maintaining a safe distance and avoiding flying drones in the area, as the monkeys are known to be skittish and may flee if approached.