Mythical Pokémon are harder to come by than Legendaries most of the time in Pokémon Go, and Zarude has been one of the most elusive of the bunch. Whether you just want to catch the Rogue Monkey Pokémon or are on the hunt for a Shiny, you might be out of luck.
Originally added to Pokémon Go in 2021, Zarude was unavailable for more than two years until the Verdant Wonders event, and its availability was still suspect due to ticket shenanigans with Special Research. This means both Zarude’s appearances are through limited-availability research—all of which has nothing to do with its Shiny variant.
Can Zarude be Shiny in Pokémon Go?
Even during its second appearance in Pokémon Go, Zarude is not available to encounter as a Shiny. Typically when a Mythical Pokémon is limited to a Timed or Special Research encounter, Niantic likes to make the second or third appearance include the Shiny variant. For Zarude, this is not the case; you can still only encounter one during the Verdant Wonders event.
If you did not catch a Zarude back when it first appeared in the October 2021 Secrets of the Jungle movie crossover, you now also have to pay to get one. The Mythical Pokémon is locked behind an $8 event ticket that will only be available until March 25 before it is removed, which will also mean removing your chance to get Zarude until it is featured in another Pokémon event—potentially years down the line.
When Zarude does return again, Niantic may include its Shiny variant as an event bonus. But for now, you won’t be able to add a Shiny Zarude to your Pokémon Go collection and there is no information on when Zarude might make another appearance.
