It’s been more than a decade since the forlorn face of a monkey staring outside an Ikea window went viral.
We are happy to report Darwin, a Japanese macaque, is now loving life at his home at Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary in Ontario, Canada.
The animal sanctuary took to Facebook to mark Darwin’s milestone.
“What were you doing 10 years ago today?,” it wrote.
“Darwin was out Christmas shopping and became a world-wide sensation.
“Darwin came from a life at the end of a leash wearing clothes and a diaper to a life where he chooses when he wants to go outdoors in the company of other monkeys.”
Darwin became internet famous at around six-months-old when he escaped his crate, unlocked his owner’s car door and walked into the Ikea parking lot as his owner shopped inside the Swedish chain store.
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He was stylishly dressed in a tiny shearling coat, and quickly drew the attention of customers.
Darwin was rescued by animal services and he was transferred to the primate sanctuary, as owning monkeys is illegal in Canada.
After the outing, his former owner was fined for having a prohibited animal.
The shelter said Darwin was shy around other animals at first as he was born as part of the exotic pet trade and had likely never been around others of his kind.
There’s an animal lurking in this picture. Can you spot it?
