A group of 43 female rhesus macaque monkeys escaped from the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center in Yemassee, South Carolina, last Wednesday.

While 24 have been recovered, a dozen are still on the loose, though they are reportedly in good health.

The monkeys, weighing between 6 and 7 pounds, escaped after a caretaker left an enclosure door unsecured.

The facility breeds primates for research purposes, but these young monkeys had not been used for testing, CBS News has reported.

Authorities have urged locals to stay away from the area and avoid using drones to track the animals.

Written by B.C. Begley