Owner of Ikea monkey 'wants him back'

Darwin the rhesus macaque monkey at Ikea Credit: RTV

A monkey that was found wandering an Ikea store in Toronto is now at the centre of a custody battle after his owner was found and has said that she wants him back.

Darwin, the rhesus macaque monkey, was surrounded by shocked onlookers when he appeared at the entrance to the store dressed in a small shearling-style coat and a nappy.

The monkey has been sent to a local primate sanctuary and is in good condition, according to authorities.

His owner has now been traced and has said that she is talking to lawyers to get her pet back, despite local by-laws banning the owning of such animals.

Yasmin Nakhuda, was fined for breaking the by-law, but has told CBC News that she was talking to a lawyer on whether she could regain custody of Darwin.

But she said she would drop her fight if she knew he was receiving good care.

Nakhuda, who said she has grown close to Darwin, had owned the monkey for five months. She said she was lent the animal by an acquaintance who later said he did not want it back.