Dozens of monkeys escape US research lab

Police are on the hunt for 43 monkeys that escaped from a research facility in South Carolina after a keeper left their pen open.

The rhesus macaque fugitives busted out of Alpha Genesis, a company that breeds primates for medical testing and research, and are on the loose in a part of the state known as the Lowcountry.

Authorities have urged residents to keep their doors and windows securely closed and to report any sightings immediately. The escaped monkeys are young females, weighing about 7lbs (3.2kg) each, according to the Yemassee Police Department.

Police said on Thursday that the company had located the "skittish" group, and "are working to entice them with food".

"Please do not attempt to approach these animals under any circumstances," police said.

The statement added that traps had been set in the area, and police were on-site "utilizing thermal imaging cameras in an attempt to locate the animals".

Police say the research company has told them that because of their size, the monkeys have not yet been tested on and "are too young to carry disease".