A wild monkey, who has been nicknamed Uncle Fat by wildlife enthusiasts in Thailand, has been put on a strict diet after it was discovered he was using fellow monkeys to source and provide him with snacks.

The animal, who weighs in at three times the typical weight of a monkey, is the current focus of wildlife official, Kacha Phukem, who conducted the capture and rescue mission last month.

Tipping the scales at 60 lbs, Uncle Fat came to the attention of experts who soon realised he had been surreptitiously tucking into junk food and soft drinks left behind by tourists, while also enlisting the help of his squad to keep him in eats.

Revealing the extent of the creature's dastardly plan, veterinarian, Supakarn Kaewchot, explained: "He had minions and other monkeys bringing food for him but he would also re-distribute it to younger monkeys."

"It was not easy to catch him," Kacha said of Uncle Fat who is believed to be between 10 and 15 years old.

Having established a core squad to keep him in treats and out of trouble, Kacha explained: "He was the leader of his pack, and when I tried to go in, I had to fight off a flock of them with sticks."

Unfortunately, Uncle Fat's voracious appetite has impacted negatively on his health, with Supakarm urging the public to be cognisant of animals' dietary requirements when visiting them in their natural habitat.

"I understand that people feel sorry for the monkeys and want to feed them when they see them," Supakarn said. "But please don't feed them food that people like to eat like snacks and soda. It is very bad for their health and the problem is entirely man-made."

"After he ate food given by humans for a while, he developed a fat mass, which became a type of benign tumour," Supakarn continued. "He is now in critical condition where there is a high risk of heart disease and diabetes."

Thankfully, those in charge of Uncle Fat's new nutrition plan are confident that with a few months of discipline and will power, Uncle Fat will reach a healthy weight and ultimately be re-released into the wild.

Uncle Fat, you got this.

Feature image: Associated Press