Online images of Darwin the monkey, a rhesus macaque primate, went viral after he was caught on camera wandering the parking lot area of an Ikea furniture store in Ontario wearing a fitted, faux shearling coat.
Fortunately, Darwin wasn’t allowed into the store, since monkeys have been pegged for thieves in a number of bizarre insurance claims.
Consider the number of brazen heists involving the primates, ultimately resulting in insurance payouts:
• A British tourist made a travel insurance claim for the full cost of his holiday after one of the primates had made off with his laptop. The insurer did not pay out for the full holiday, but did cover the cost of the stolen laptop.
• A couple travelling through Bali were visiting a temple when they had their bag stolen. Children who witnessed the event chased down the monkey and tried to lure it closer with food in order to exchange the stolen sack for some food. However, the monkey became frustrated with all of the confusion and tossed the bag off the top of a cliff. Insurance covered the cost of the bag and its contents.
• One Aussie traveller claimed a monkey stole his wallet while on a holiday.
• A man in his 30s claimed he’d been filming monkeys from the car window in Longleat Safari Park with his HTC One X mobile device when a monkey climbed on the roof and snatched it.
The monkey in the middle of the commotion in Toronto was prohibited in Ontario. But insurance companies do cover primates as exotic pets in areas in which they are allowed.
What are the most expensive primates to own (and presumably to insure)?
Pets Best Insurance in the United States lists the following primates among its list of “The Most Expensive Pets You Can Own”:
Snow Macaque - $3,500
The Snow Macaque, also known as the Japanese Macaque, is the most northern-living non-human primate. Besides humans and raccoons, they are the only other known mammals that wash food before consuming it. The Snow Macaque is currently considered a threatened species, and special licenses and permits are required to own one of these animals.
Squirrel Monkey - $4,000
The natural habitat of the Squirrel Monkey is the tropical forests of Central and South America, although they can survive quite easily as pets. It is rare for these animals to grow any bigger than two pounds.
Mona Guenon - $6,000
This primate originated in the tropical forests of West Africa, but like the Squirrel Monkey, it can adapt to almost any environment. Despite the prevalence of this species, several licenses and permits are required before one can be taken in as a pet.
Debrazza's Monkey - $10,000
This monkey was discovered in Central African swamp lands, and is best suited for warm climates. When young, Debrazza's Monkeys are docile and affectionate, however, as they mature they can become territorial and unpredictable.
Chimpanzee - $60,000-$65,000
Chimpanzees have been kept as pets for centuries, starting in African villages and spreading to Europe and America. Not all states allow people to keep chimpanzees as pets, and those that do require that you have exotic animal permits and licenses.
