If ever there was a thing I coveted more in life, itâs a thumb monkey. Because 1) Monkeys are great. 2) This one is tiny. Just my luck, owning one is illegal, unethical and not exactly good for the monkeys.
At any rate, these tiny, endangered primates from the Amazon rainforests are being purchased as accessories in China.
Referring to thumb or finger monkeys as an âit petâ for 2016âthe Chinese Year of the MonkeyâMashable notes that itâs classified as âthe worldâs smallest monkey, with a body size that ranges from 5.5 to 6.3 inchesâ and âweighs no more than 4.9 ounces.â
People in China seem to be taking advantage and copping painfully cute thumb monkeys (better known as pygmy marmosets) for thousands of dollars:
Itâs illegal to sell it, but it is being sold for up to 30,000 yuan ($4,500). The hefty price tag and law certainly isnât stopping Chinaâs nouveau riche from owning a âthumb monkey.â
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To that end, thumb monkey photos have reportedly popped up on the social media site Sina Weibo. Canât own one, but you can look at âem in awe.
Contact the author at clover@jezebel.com.
Image via Twitter
