An endangered monkey has gone viral thanks to its resemblance to the Star Wars aliens known as the Ewoks. The adorable, teddy bear-like Ewoks were originally depicted as primitive creatures, first appearing in the movie Return of the Jedi. However, more recent additions to the Star Wars canon have attempted to move past the potentially problematic representation of Ewoks by introducing more complex Ewok characters, including some who are Force-sensitive.
When talking about his inspiration for the Ewoks, Star Wars creator George Lucas cites a few different cultural groups, from Miwok Native Americans to Viet Cong guerrillas. However, Lucas also claims the physical appearance of the Ewoks was inspired by a dog breed called the Griffon Bruxellois, which has a very fuzzy face. The specific look of the Star Wars creature is exactly what led many Twitter users to compare a similarly fuzzy-faced monkey to an Ewok.
The video was posted by the Twitter account buitengebieden_, a Netherlands-based profile dedicated to sharing positive videos, mostly of adorable animals. The video in question features a bright orange Ewok-like monkey being fed by the human filming the video. The monkey looks up at the person filming with an endearing expression, and viewers can hear the sounds of the primate munching down on its snacks. The video has already been liked and retweeted by thousands. You can see the wonderful creature earning Ewok comparisons below.
While many viewers of this tweet were quick to point out the monkey’s resemblance to an Ewok, many others jumped in to explain this primate is a golden snub-nosed monkey, also known as a Sichuan snub-nosed monkey. Golden snub-nosed monkeys are native to a small region of the Tibetan Plateau in China, but unfortunately, their habitat is starting to disappear. Between this, illegal hunting, and tourist activities in China, the golden snub-nosed monkey is one of the most endangered primates on Earth at the moment.
Things don’t look great for this little monkey, but with the awareness being spread by this viral video, those who enjoy Star Wars may be able to help keep this Ewok-like creature alive. Often, an awareness of an endangered species is one of the most important elements of eventually saving it. If nothing else, this viral tweet shows the love so many Star Wars enthusiasts feel for the Ewoks can also be transferred to real creatures, and that’s the first step towards conservation.
Source: buitengebieden_
