Godzilla the morbidly obese monkey dies after fans ‘killed him with kindness’ by feeding him his favourite junk food and chocolate: Famous macaque is cremated after dying as he held his owner’s hand

Godzilla, the obese monkey who wore a vest and gorged on chocolate and junk food, has died. The remains of the rescued macaque have been returned to his owner, who was holding his hand when he died.

The enormous macaque suffered from a host of weight-related illnesses before dying on May 6 at Thailand’s Crystal Pet Hospital.

Conservationists have accused the family of killing the monkey with kindness, feeding him junk food whenever he wanted and allowing him to become a tourist attraction at their Bangkok market stall.

The famous primate was taken off the market three years ago because officials were concerned about his health, and placed him in a “fat camp” where he was put on a strict diet.

But the health kick couldn’t save Godzilla, and he was reunited with his owner while in the hospital, who cared for him in his final days.

Godzilla was only six years old, a fraction of the life expectancy of his species, which can live up to 37 years in captivity.

The hospital’s director, Dr. Supasek Sarachitti, said that Godzilla had a thyroid condition, diabetes and Cushing’s syndrome, or an overproduction of the stress hormone cortisol, all of which contributed to his shortened lifespan.

Dr. Supasek said after the beloved monkey’s death, “Let’s send Godzilla to heaven.”

“I told you years ago that you might not live long because of your illnesses. You were at risk of having a heart attack.

“Your owner came by every day to take care of you until this day finally arrived. You passed away peacefully in the arms of your owner.”

The family was not allowed to see Godzilla while he recovered, but was later granted visitation rights due to their insistence on seeing him. His condition never improved.

His bloated body was cremated and returned to his previous caretaker Manop Emsan, from whom he was seized three years ago.

Manop, who insists they treated the monkey well, said: “Godzilla’s ashes have been collected. The undertaker said his bones were very white.

‘We are so sad that he is gone. He was like our family. We rescued him when he was abandoned and treated him well.

“He should never have been taken from his home because he liked to eat what he gave him.”

Godzilla weighed 19 kg (41.9 lbs) – almost double the standard weight of normal macaques – before being rescued from a Bangkok market in 2021.

Authorities found him chained and bloated, while passersby unintentionally hurt him by feeding him sugary treats such as fruit, nuts, chocolate and sweet drinks.

He was then sent to a “fat camp” at a wildlife center in Chachoengsao province, where he was placed on a strict diet of dill, lettuce, crickets, worms, sunflower seeds and other nutritious foods.

Manop and his family were eventually allowed to visit Godzilla and interact with him in the pool.

They claimed they initially took him in when his parents were killed by a car when he was a baby, and a previous owner abandoned him.

Godzilla rose to fame after a video of him tied to a stall in Bangkok’s Min Buri district went viral.

Shoppers regularly crowded the stall where the monkey was trying to feed him, and hThis diet consisted of fruit and nuts, but also unhealthy sweets and sugary syrup drinks.

He also became known for the tight-fitting t-shirts he was dressed in by his owner.

Despite it being illegal under the country’s wildlife laws, the family kept the monkey as a pet and let it snack all day while they operated their meatball stand.

However, Bureau of Wildlife Conservation officials stated that Godzilla would not be returned to the family because it is against the law to keep him as a pet.

Furthermore, releasing him into the wild was not an option as he would have difficulty surviving on his own, being pampered and unable to fend for himself.

The situation sparked controversy, with Manop’s supporters arguing that authorities should allow him to retain Godzilla.

They argued that he treated it like family and could continue to do so under the guidance of officials.

However, some also felt that keeping wild animals as pets is illegal and allowing visitation rights was a reasonable compromise.

Godzilla’s case is compared to another macaque in Thailand named ‘Uncle Fatty’, who weighed as much as 27 kg (60 lbs) after being killed ‘through kindness’ by locals.

It is believed that Uncle Fatty ate himself to death as he has not been seen since 2019.