Hang In There Punch: Punch, a seven-month-old Japanese macaque, has become an internet sensation after videos of him dragging an orangutan plushie at Ichikawa City Zoo near Tokyo went viral. The stuffed toy from Ikea became Punch's constant companion after being abandoned by his mother and other monkeys. Punch became an internet sensation after the zoo shared his video of carrying the toy everywhere and even grooming it. While reacting to the videos, the netizens praised the zookeepers and visitors for not leaving him alone.
Who Is Punch?
Punch was born in July 2025 but was later abandoned by his mother due to her inexperience, reported Mainichi Shimbun, citing the zoo staff. They stated that an inexperienced mother often disowns her child due to various reasons. While Punch was born healthy, he was in a vulnerable state and often lonely after being abandoned by his mother and other monkeys.
🇯🇵🥹 In a Japanese zoo, baby monkey Panch, who had been clinging to a plush toy after being rejected by his mother, has finally found a real friend.
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) February 18, 2026
Zookeepers had given him a plush orangutan to replace his mother, but now he has finally found a friend who truly cares for him. pic.twitter.com/GpgLULkB7T
Kosuke Shikano and Shumpei Miyakoshi, the zookeepers, started taking care of him and gifted him a toy, as physical contact is required for a newborn to grow.
Why Does Punch Carry Toy?
The newborn monkeys depend on their mothers for warmth and physical development; however, the zookeepers arranged alternatives after Punch got abandoned by his mother. While reacting to a recent video of Punch being dragged by a monkey, the zoo stated that it was a warning by the mother monkey.
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"It seems that the monkey who dragged Punch down this time was the mother of the baby monkey with whom Punch was trying to communicate. The mother probably thought that her baby monkey had been treated badly and thought to Punch, 'Don't do such mean things to your baby monkey'," the Ichikawa Zoo stated.
While sharing the videos, the netizens pointed out the need for companionship in life, even in a zoo. "I'm glad he's got a caring friend. The world is a scary place to navigate alone, even if you're an animal stuck in a zoo," one of the social media users stated.