Anyone who’s watched Animal Planet knows that monkeys have fingers like ours, eyes like ours, and can copy a ton of human tasks. So motorheads may wonder, “Could a monkey drive a car?” Well, if you visit her zoo in Dubai, Rambo the Orangutan would love to answer that question—by giving you a tour in her golf cart.
Rambo isn’t a total newbie when it comes to driving. Over the years, she’s gone from tooling around in children’s Power Wheels to full-on golf cart cruises. Footage on the Animalia YouTube channel shows her rolling around her private zoo in Dubai, one hand on the wheel, the other hanging casually off the side like she’s got errands to run.
The cart might be Rambo’s main ride, but she’s dabbled in other vehicles too. There’s even video evidence of her turning the wheel of a rolling Nissan Patrol SUV. But it may be some clever editing, because there’s no evidence she actually drove it. SUVs and orangutans may not be a match made in automotive heaven. I’d guess Rambo’s short legs make it tough reach to the pedals of a full-size vehicle. So no matter how good Rambo’s driving skills may look, an SUV just doesn’t give her enough room to go ape.
There’s a good reason Rambo’s sticking to her golf cart. For one, it’s a lot easier to control around the private zoo grounds. And in the Dubai heat, an open-air cart just makes sense. With no pesky windshield to block the breeze, Rambo stays cool as she makes her rounds, checking up on tigers, gazelles, and fellow primates. She even rides around with her friend, a blue macaw, on regular “patrols.” You can see her tooling around, hand on the roof just like a human driver. This orangutan’s got road habits down pat.
So, can a monkey actually drive a car? Technically, it seems they can get pretty close, especially on private property with some help from patient zookeepers and good-natured trainers. But you won’t catch Rambo merging into Dubai traffic or hitting 60 mph anytime soon. Her joyrides are strictly local.
In the video below, you can see Rambo living her best life behind the wheel. She reminded us all that sometimes, it’s not about where you drive, it’s about enjoying the ride.
