Two more monkeys captured Sunday after escaping Yemassee research facility

YEMASSEE, S.C. (WCBD)- Two more monkeys that escaped from a Lowcountry research facility earlier this month have been recaptured, authorities announced Sunday.

Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard said multiple monkeys were spotted near the Yemassee property on Saturday, two of which were captured the next day.

That brings the total number of monkeys recovered to 37 of 43, meaning six were still on the loose as of Monday morning.

Westergaard was present when the two primates were returned and said that they “showed all the outward signs of being happy well-adjusted monkeys.”

“Two other monkeys were spotted near the traps throughout the afternoon,” Westergaard added in an updated posted to the Yemassee Police Department’s Facebook page. “We are very pleased that the animals recovered thus far are in such good condition, and that they show no ill effects from their outdoor adventure.”

Continued trapping efforts began Monday before dawn and are expected to continue throughout the day, according to Alpha Genesis.

The 37 monkeys already back in captivity are said to be in “excellent health” and have been enjoying peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as well as specifically formulated monkey biscuits.

Officials said 43 rhesus macaques escaped the facility on Nov. 6 after an employee failed to secure an enclosure. The monkeys primarily stayed in a wooded area near the facility.