‘Monkey Deaths’ at Primate Research Facility Investigated by USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed it is investigating claims that around 18 monkeys died at the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center in South Carolina.

Animal rights protection group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) issued the complaint Monday, claiming they were informed the endangered, long-tailed macaques died last week after an alleged heater malfunction at Alpha Genesis, which breeds primates often used for biomedical research.

PETA primate scientist Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel cited “multiple whistleblower reports” for the claims about the possible diesel heater malfunction.

Newsweek has contacted the Yemassee facility via email on Thursday for further comment.

The APHIS confirmed to several media organizations that it has received a complaint about these allegations from PETA, but it did not confirm the alleged whistleblower reports.

A spokesperson said in a statement: “APHIS takes enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act seriously. We are aware of this situation and are following standard response protocols. Any resulting inspection reports will be posted on our public search tool. Visit our public search tool to access inspection and enforcement histories for all Animal Welfare Act licensees. Alpha Genesis’ certificate number is: 56-B-0120.

“At this time, here’s what I can provide. I can confirm that we recently received a complaint with some detailed allegations and that we are reviewing them to determine whether there are Animal Welfare Act (AWA) noncompliances we need to follow up on.”

Newsweek has contacted APHIS via email on Thursday for any further comment.

Earlier this month, Alpha Genesis made headlines after 43 rhesus macaque primates escaped from the Yemassee facility because an employee failed to fully secure a door during routine feeding and health checks. Two weeks after the incident, four of the monkeys remained unaccounted for.

At the time, Greg Westergaard, the CEO of Alpha Genesis, said the monkeys who had been found showed “no ill effects from their outdoor adventure.”

In 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture fined the facility $12,600 after 26 primates escaped in 2014 and another 19 in 2016.

Rhesus macaques and long-tailed macaques are some of the most genetically similar animals to humans and have long been used by the medical community and scientific researchers.

They played a significant role in the development of the polio vaccines in the mid-20th century.

The Institute for Laboratory Animal Research’s official journal said in a 2017 study: “Nonhuman primates (NHPs), and monkeys in particular, are important preclinical models for understanding the etiology of human diseases and for developing therapies and vaccines to cure or eliminate disease.”