It was meant to be a harmless selfie, designed to highlight the plight of the endangered crested black macaque.

But British photographer David Slater, who is at the centre of a bizarre court battle of the now infamous "monkey selfie", has revealed that being sued by a monkey has ruined his life and left him completely broke.

The 52-year-old from south Wales, who specialises in wildlife and conservation photography, said he has been left penniless after years of legal wrangling over whether he or the macaque owns the copyright of the picture.

Slater, who couldn't even afford a flight to the US to be at the court hearing on Thursday, said that he was considering giving up his career as a photographer, and becoming a tennis coach or a dog-walker instead.