Advertisement

Toronto Ikea monkey sent to primate sanctuary, owner still wants him back

The story of a monkey in a shearling coat found wandering an Ikea parking lot has taken a sad twist.

The baby rhesus macaque, named Darwin, was taken into custody by authorities and brought to the Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary in Sunderland, Ontario.

He was paired with another monkey to act as a mother-figure, according to Sky News. The sanctuary has also taken off his stylish coat. Despite comments that Darwin would be nice and warm during the Canadian winter in his furry coat, not to mention he looked great, sanctuary founder Sherri Delaney said a monkey doesn't need human clothes.

[ Related: Ikea monkey transferred to primate sanctuary ]

"These animals are not meant as pets. They're not meant to take the place of a child," Delaney told the National Post. "Did he need to be in a coat? No, he didn't. Did he need to be in a diaper? No."

Darwin's owner, Yasmin Nakhuda, told Sky News the monkey can't live without her. Animal services fined her $240 for keeping an illegal pet.

Delaney told CTV News that Nakhuda could visit the monkey.

"She has not been denied visitation at all," she told Canada AM, "What I have asked of her is that she think of the monkey first and herself second at this stage of the game."

[ Related: Owner of monkey found outside Toronto Ikea wants him back ]

Nakhuda has posted several videos on her YouTube channel that show her and Darwin's life together, including this one, showing the two of them brushing their teeth:

Mary Lou Leiher, a spokesperson from animal services told reporters at a press conference that Darwin was unhappy the day after his separation from his human mother.

"He's not very happy right now. He's comfortable, but he's having a bad day," she said.

She said he was "sensitive," since he's only seven-months-old.

[ Related: Toronto Ikea monkey goes viral ]

Meanwhile, Darwin's online fame has reached irrational proportions. So why not perpetuate it further? People have re-posted the original photos of the monkey over and over again, adding jokes and graphics to a list of memes that grows ever-longer.

A selection: