Windows and doors locked tight. An alarm was raised in a small town after 40 test subjects escaped from the laboratory.

The small American town of Yemassiv in South Carolina has found itself at the center of concern: this is due to the escape of more than forty subjects from a local research facility. As a result, local authorities have urged residents to keep their doors and windows closed and to avoid contact with the fugitives, reports Science Alert.

Specifically, over 40 rhesus monkeys have left their enclosures at a research lab managed by Alpha Genesis, which specializes in biomedical research involving primates. Notably, the escape incident occurred on Thursday, November 7.

Researchers have described their subjects as "skittish," yet they have requested that people refrain from approaching the animals and report sightings to emergency services. Local authorities have also dispatched search teams to assist in locating the escaped monkeys, attempting to lure them back with food.

The message states that residents of Yemassiv should keep an eye on their home doors and immediately notify emergency services of any sightings. Furthermore, it is advised that people "under no circumstances" approach the primates.

It is known that a total of 43 monkeys escaped from the research facility — all of them are young females weighing no more than three kilograms. Laboratory staff also emphasize that none of these animals had previously been used for testing. According to a representative from Alpha Genesis, all the females are still too young to carry any diseases.

According to Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard, the escape of the primates from the research facility has been quite "disappointing." The company representative also expressed hope for a positive outcome — researchers are hoping that the primates will return to the research facility on their own.

It is believed that the animals gained their freedom after a caretaker failed to close the door to their enclosure — as a result, the monkeys were able to roam freely. Researchers also note that the escape of the rhesus monkeys resembles a leader-following behavior: where the "leader" of the escapees goes, the others tend to follow.