By james art 
The last of the 43 monkeys who fled the South Carolina research establishment at the end of last year were restored, according to the local police station, which put an end to a dramatic saga that launched a small town in the national spotlight.
The female rhesus macaques made their escape from the Alpha Genesis Primary Research Center in Yemmai, SC, in early November, experiencing an uncharacteristic brutal winter outside the facility.
By mid -November, police in Yemasi said they said that 39 of the primates were trapped humanely and returned to the laboratory, leaving only a handful of playful primates still outside the fences of the property.
Following the restoration of the final monkeys, Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Vestergaard told authorities that the animals seemed to be in good health, despite the months spent outdoors.
Police had described animals as very young and weighing between six and seven pounds.
According to his website, Alpha Genesis generates and examines primates for targets, including the development of vaccines and experimental surgical procedures.
Monkeys have never been used to test because of their young age and they do not carry the risk of transmitting diseases to people, police said.
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