Childless couple in India reveal plans to leave all of their money to their pet MONKEY

A CHILDLESS couple in India have said they are going to leave all of their money to their beloved pet MONKEY.

a macaque monkeyGETTY

A couple in India are leaving all of their money to their pet macaque

Wealthy Brajesh and Shabista Srivastava, who live in Uttar Pradesh in northern India, said their pet macaque Chunman is like family to them.

And to prove how much they care for him, the rich couple have now set up a trust fund to ensure the primate is looked after if they die before him.

Chunman was adopted by the couple after he was orphaned, and Mr and Mrs Srivastava say they owe their wealth and success to their cheeky pet.

He is currently 10 years old, but his breed have been known to live up to 40 - meaning he could outlive his owners.

Mrs Srivastava, a 45-year-old lawyer, said: "People might say we are mad, they might even ridicule us.

We are childless and Chunmun is a son to me

Shabista Srivastava

"But we know how valuable Chunmun is to us. We are childless and Chunmun is a son to me.

"We want to ensure that even when we are not alive, Chunmun's life is not affected and he continues to live the way he does."

Mr and Mrs Srivastava fell in love but say they were outcast by their families after they married against their wishes.

Both families disapproved because Mr Srivastava is Hindu and his wife Muslim.

The couple say they were not always so wealthy but since adopting Chunmun in 2005, they saw a change in their fortunes.

They now have a number of businesses run by Mr Srivastava - all named after the monkey - and also bought their own home.

Chunmun currently lives a life of luxury with his own air-conditioned room and a playmate called Bitti - a simian monkey brought in to keep him company.

Among his favourite treats are Chinese food, tea and mango juice, according to the pair.

After Chunmun dies, the couple say that any money left over will go to a charity dedicated to looking after monkeys in India.

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