A MORBIDLY obese monkey named Godzilla has died after eating himself to death despite shedding weight at a fat camp.
The macaque developed an insatiable appetite after well-wishing shoppers fed him junk food at a market in Bangkok, Thailand.
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The massive monkey died aged only six at the Crystal Pet Hospital on Monday after suffering from a myriad of weight-related issues.
Godzilla struggled with thyroid disease, diabetes and Cushing’s syndrome – an overproduction of stress hormone cortisol – all of which contributed to his shortened lifespan.
The hospital’s director, Dr Supasek Sarachitti, said: “Let’s send Godzilla to heaven. I told you many years ago, you may not live long due to your diseases. You were at risk of having a heart attack.
“Your owner came by to take care of you every day, until this day finally came. You passed away peacefully in the arms of your owner.”
The obese macaque was cremated and his ashes were returned to his previous caretaker Manop Emsan, from whom he was seized three years ago.
Manop adopted Godzilla when he was a baby and kept him as a pet which is illegal under the country’s wildlife laws.
Authorities found him chained up in a Bangkok market where generous shoppers had been giving him high-sugar treats like chocolate, fruits, and sweet drinks.
At the time, he weighed a staggering 19kg – nearly double the standard weight of his species.
The family was accused of “killing Godzilla with kindness” as they fed him unhealthy foods whenever he wanted.
After being discovered, the obese macaque was sent to a “fat camp” where he was put on a strict diet of dill, lettuce, crickets, worms, sunflower seeds, and other nutritious foods.
Despite dropping from his previous “dangerously unhealthy weight” to around 15kg, Godzilla’s condition never improved.
Manop, who maintains they treated the monkey well, said: “Godzilla’s ashes have been picked up. The undertaker said his bones were very white.
“We are so sad that he has gone. He was like our family. We saved him when he was abandoned and treated him well.
“He should never have been taken away from his home as he loved eating what he gave him.”
Crab-eating macaques facts
- Class – Mammalia
- Order – Primates
- Found throughout South-East Asian jungles
- Diet includes primarily crabs, fruits, seeds and insects
- Lifespan – 15 to 30 years
- Height – 38cm to 55cm
- Weight – from 3kg to 9kg
- Live in established social groups of up to eight individuals, ruled by a female
- Also known as the long-tailed macaque for its distinctively long tail
The family said they originally took the monkey when his parents were killed by a car and a previous owner abandoned him.
They let him snack away all day while they ran their stall selling meatballs, and Godzilla became “a favourite attraction at the market”.
When Godzilla was taken from him, Manop said: “Godzilla is like a son to me. He’s part of the family.”
The family was banned from visiting the monkey while he recovered, but kept persisting until they were granted visitation rights.
Godzilla was forbidden from returning to his owner as per country’s law, which caused outrage amongst Manop’s supporters.
They argued that he treated the monkey like family and could continue to do so with guidance from officials.
Others believed that visitation rights was a reasonable compromise as overfeeding the monkey was inadvertently harming him.
The pampered and spoiled macaque couldn’t be released into the wild either as it was feared he would not be able to fend for himself.
Godzilla spent the remaining days of his tragically short life at a wildlife centre in Chaochoengsao province.
Many of his species live up to 37 years old in captivity.
The story of Godzilla has been likened to another famous obese monkey, Uncle Fatty, who died from overeating in 2019.
Uncle Fatty grew an enormous belly after being fed sugary snacks by tourists at the Khun Kala floating market in Bangkok.
He was also sent to a fat camp to slim down, but relapsed before suddenly disappearing and is believed to be dead.
He has not been seen since February 2019 and his body remains missing, but experts think he isolated himself so others didn’t see him pass away.
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