<Tr> <Th> Species </Th> <Td> Monkey Elephant (temporarily) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Gender </Th> <Td> Male </Td> </Tr> <P> Abu is Aladdin's kleptomaniac monkey partner with a high - pitched voice and can talk a little, voiced by Frank Welker . The animators filmed monkeys at the San Francisco Zoo to study the movements Abu would have . The character is based on the similarly named Abu the thief, played by Sabu Dastagir in the 1940 version of The Thief of Bagdad . </P> <P> In the first film, Abu is seen accompanying Aladdin during his daily adventures as they try to steal food to live . When Abu and Aladdin finally are about to eat, they see two children looking for food among garbage, and Abu is forced to share his stolen food with them when Aladdin voluntarily does so . After Aladdin gets arrested by Razoul on Jafar's orders, Abu enters the dungeon but is unable to free his friend . It is a disguised Jafar who frees them in a plan to use Aladdin to get access to the Cave of Wonders and retrieve the Genie's lamp . Inside the cave after finding a magic carpet who leads them to the lamp, Abu disobeys the command of the guardian of the cave and tries to steal a ruby, which causes a cave - in and almost costs his and Aladdin's lives . When they are about to exit the cave, Aladdin gives Jafar the lamp and, in turn, Jafar is about to kill Aladdin, but Abu attacks him back and takes the lamp back . After meeting the Genie, Aladdin wishes to become a prince and Abu is transformed into an elephant as part of the disguise . Abu is transformed back to his original form by Jafar during the climax of the film, when he is about to attack the sorcerer . Abu and Aladdin are later sent by Jafar to a far - off place but return to Agrabah using the Magic Carpet . Once in Agrabah, Abu fights and subdues Iago, but is transformed into a toy monkey by Jafar when he tries to take the lamp back . Abu returns once again to his original form at the end of the film when Jafar is defeated . </P>

What was the name of the monkey in aladdin