Police in Yemassee, South Carolina, said More than 40 monkeys that escaped from a research facility earlier this week have so far held their own since capture and have been seen exploring the facility’s perimeter fence from which they escaped.

On Wednesday, 43 female rhesus macaques escaped from the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center in Yemassee when a keeper did not properly secure the door to their enclosure, the research center’s CEO said. CBS News.

As of noon Friday, the primates had not been captured and were spotted “playfully exploring the facility’s perimeter fence, interacting with those still inside, barking at them,” the Yemassee Police Department said. said.

“The first ones show calm and playful behavior, which is a positive sign. We kindly urge the public to stay away from this area as Alpha Genesis works diligently to recover these animals safely and return them unharmed to their habitats.”

AUTHORITIES said On Wednesday, they worked with the research center to find the primates and initially urged residents to “avoid the area as these animals are described as troublesome and any additional noise or movement could prevent their safe capture.”

This footage captured Wednesday by South Carolina resident Casey Hillman shows the primates running through a wooded area near the research center. Credit: Casey Hillman via Storyful