Authorities in Columbia, South Carolina said Saturday that one monkey has been recovered and 42 others remain on the loose after they escaped a Yamassee facility Wednesday.
The Rhesus macaques were bred at the Alpha Genesis facility in Yamassee for medical research purposes, officials said.
The primates managed to escape after an employee forgot to fully lock a door while feeding and caring for the animals.
Many of the escapees were still in the area surrounding the compound, jumping back and forth a fence and interacting with their companions inside the facility.
CEO Greg Westergaard said the recovery efforts will persist throughout the weekend or even longer.
Federal health officials and local police insist the monkeys pose no threat to the public's health.
