An obese monkey named Godzilla died May 6 after shoppers fed him sugary food — including chocolate, fruits and sweet drinks — at a market in Bangkok, Thailand, according to The Sun.
The six-year-old macaque died at Crystal Pet Hospital after suffering from weight-related issues that shortened his lifespan, including thyroid disease, diabetes and Cushing’s syndrome, The Sun reported.
World’s fattest monkey dubbed ‘Godzilla’ dies after eating himself to death despite trip to fat camp | The Sun https://t.co/ZIsWxOdwv0
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Authorities had found the animal chained in a Bangkok market where shoppers fed him. At the time, he weighed around 42 pounds, which is double the standard weight of his species.
Wildlife officials accused the family of Manop Emsan of killing the monkey with kindness by providing him junk food and allowing him to become an attraction at their Bangkok market stall, the Daily Mail reported. The family said they took Godzilla after a car killed the monkey’s parents and a previous owner abandoned him. They let him eat all day while they sold meatballs, The Sun noted.
Authorities took Godzilla from the market about three years ago, citing the country’s wildlife laws, according to the outlet. “Godzilla is like a son to me. He’s part of the family,” Emsan said after the monkey was taken, The Sun reported.
After being discovered, Godzilla was placed on a strict diet of dill, lettuce, crickets, worms, sunflower seeds, and other foods at “fat camp,” according to The Sun. Even though he dropped to around 33 pounds, his condition never improved, and Emsan reunited with his former pet in the animal’s final days, the outlet reported. Godzilla was cremated and his ashes were given to Emsan.
“We are so sad that he has gone. He was like our family. We saved him when he was abandoned and treated him well,” Emsan said, according to The Sun. “He should never have been taken away from his home as he loved eating what [people] gave him.”